Cass of letters and syllables. Vietnamese traps and tunnels in Cu Chi

] Livejournal is very popular post tunnel rats at work .
About the famous Vietnamese Cu Chi tunnels (for some reason they are called Ku Chi in the post).
I was there in the summer. Therefore, I will also write about it.
The most popular tour in Vietnam. They are located almost on the border with Cambodia.
Drive from Saigon 5 hours. Like any minibus trip in Vietnam in general, this one drives you crazy: all the locals drive motorbikes - when the bus overtakes the motorbike, it honks - the bus overtakes the motorbikes all the way - accordingly, it honks all the way - the unaccustomed lovers go crazy from it in an hour.
So. The tunnels were built by the Viet Cong during the war. In practice, this is just a grandiose system of holes, occupying several square kilometers.
Detecting a login is really extremely difficult. We were led to an earthen platform approximately 5X5: look for the entrance. We searched for about 10 minutes. In the end, we found it, but if the site was 20X20, we would not have found it for sure. and if it's just "somewhere in the forest", then generally look without mazy.
The earth cover completely merges with the territory.

Here is a foreign aunt climbed her feet into this hole. and neither there nor back. I had to pull out.

One of the tunnels offered to crawl all comers. I was immediately told that it was not worth it, because I definitely would not climb through.
Those who tried said that you crawl on all fours in a terrible heat and closeness in a rat hole with the thought that you will stay here forever.

Here I am pretending to get out of the tunnel. But I'm cheating. I just went down the steps to the exit from the hellish hole.
The most interesting thing about the tour is the traps that the Viet Cong used to catch the Americans. They are there in great numbers.

Old tricks are the best tricks. Pit with reversible lid. Below are sharp metal pins. The pit is, of course, fenced off so that tourists do not get into it (souvenirs are sold at the end of the tour, so tourists need to be protected for now). It is completely invisible, and the lid turns over at the slightest pressure.

Same thing for the leg. The leg gets stuck and the more you pull it up, the more the pins stick into you.

More.

It was one of the most effective traps. It's impossible to get out on your own.

Variation on a theme.

Such a cute one was attached to a tree. From where he flew at high speed to meet the foot soldiers. The guide with great enthusiasm demonstrated how wheezing and convulsing those whom he stuck into.

Especially for those who like to open the door with their foot. You kick it and this thing flies in your face. Instinctively you shield your hand. And then the lower part, which is not fixed rigidly, but is stuck on a rope in the groin. "Ladyboy, ladyboy," shouted the tour guide, explaining to us the consequences of falling into this trap.
There is a shooting range on the territory of the complex. You can shoot from really captured American weapons.

buy ammo and...

you shoot with a machine gun.
By the way, it is a pleasure to shoot from a stationary machine gun. There is no return at all.

There are also a bunch of all sorts of bombs and other things.
Lots of colorful photos and drawings about what "agent orange" does to people. I didn't even take pictures - it's an unpleasant sight.
In general, now this whole area is a nice green forest. And during the war there were kilometers of scorched earth. Trees without leaves, etc.
The guide said that more bombs were dropped on this zone than during the entire period of the Second World War. I doubt it, but it was obviously VERY hot there.

Mandatory completion of the tour, everyone is sitting in a room where the forgotten "red corner" pops up in the head with watching TV.
a 20-minute b/w film about the war is shown on TV.
Grandpa Ho looks down from above with a smile.

The Cu Chi Tunnels, as a tourist site, are located in the suburban area of ​​​​the world-famous Saigon, but what tourists see is only a small part of the amazing military facility built during the years of American expansion by the Vietnamese resistance fighters. Underground shelters, the labyrinths of which stretched from the Cambodian border to Saigon, began to be built back in the 50s, when the people of Vietnam resisted the French colonialists. But during the invasion of American troops into the territory of Vietnam, the villagers dug their part of the underground shelter and, as a result, the passages dug at depth united into one grandiose underground network, which became the base of the National Front for the Liberation of Vietnamese Land from the American aggressor. The true length of the tunnels is not advertised, according to some sources, the tunnels stretch underground for 187 kilometers, according to others - for 300. It is only known for certain that more than eighteen thousand partisans were hiding with their families in the underground labyrinths and that the area called by the Vietnamese "Iron triangle," was under construction for fifteen years, one might say, by antediluvian means under the very noses of not particularly agile American infantry. The efficiency of the Vietnamese is able to impress even the Russians who built the White Sea Canal: without equipment, with hoes and shovels, not every nation is able to process tens of tons of clay, destroy all traces of their work and dig hundreds of kilometers of tunnels.

The device of the Cu Chi tunnels

The tunnels have a main axis, from which a system of intricate branches extends, connected to the entrances to other, parallel tunnels and underground shelters. The width of the aisles is very small, the maximum width of which is only one meter, the height is also capable of letting a person of only a compact build - 90 centimeters. Overhead, a four-meter brickwork was laid, capable of withstanding the weight of a 50-ton tank and the explosions of low-yield bombs and light guns.

The underground system has several "floors", with countless entrances, corridors and exits. In the Cu Chi tunnels, sabotage, reconnaissance and combat tactics were developed. It was through the tunnels that resistance fighters brought weapons, equipment and ammunition from Cambodia. It housed living quarters, ammunition depots and food, hospitals, command centers, weapons workshops and even clubs with cinema halls. The arrangement of underground kitchens is interesting, the air ducts of which on the surface were disguised as anthills, the smoke was filtered by special devices made of palm leaves.

A bit of history

In 1965, an American infantry division was deployed near the village of Cu Chi. The tasks of the division included the complete suppression of the resistance forces and gaining control over the south of Vietnam. But the American camp, despite the sound protection of its perimeter, began to suffer, albeit insignificant, but losses, mainly among the officers. The Americans decided not to bother themselves with reconnaissance activities and simply to clean up the territory. Settlements, sources of food and water were destroyed, the jungle was demolished by bulldozers and napalm was actively used. But such barbaric methods did not give the American infantry the desired results, and chance helped them to uncover the secret of the underground tunnels of Ku Chi - the American base was located exactly above the partisan city. The bombardment of the ground began, under the surface of which there were tunnels. But the underground construction also withstood 100-kilogram bombs, and the jungle mostly suffered from highly toxic dioxin, which still reminds of that war with sad remains, because the complex system of tunnels was equipped with airtight hatches and water plugs. The use of napalm also did not work, the high temperature of napalm, interacting with the humid air of the tropics, led to the formation of shower clouds and the rains successfully extinguished all fires.

Then the American command ordered the Cu Chi tunnels to be cleared by infantry, but even here they failed, as the well-fed infantrymen could not squeeze into the compact entrances, which were even difficult to detect, since they were disguised. Even a specially created unit, in which fighters of a certain physique were selected, did not lead the Americans to victory over the partisans. The resistance fighters met the American "tunnel rats" with "open" arms, arranging for them a real action quest, where ambushes and traps awaited the feeble Americans, for which the Vietnamese people are a great inventor! From the dungeon alive from the once invincible elite detachment, only a few got out. Dogs, the Vietnamese guerrillas were confusing in various ingenious ways, and after a lot of shepherd dogs died in the tunnels, the trainers refused to provide their animals for underground operations.

When the Americans resorted to carpet bombing, the underground city suffered great destruction, but, fortunately, this was already the end of the war, the United States soon withdrew its troops from Vietnam. Six thousand surviving resistance fighters celebrated the victory.

What is shown to tourists?

Tourists in the Cu Chi tunnels are shown only a small, one can safely say that an insignificant part of the intricate multi-kilometer underground network. Information about the tunnels for every "fireman" is carefully hidden. The section of the tunnels that is open to tourists has been redesigned, for example, the passages and hatches have been widened, as experience has shown that many tourists will not be able to get into the tunnels due to their fatness. For claustrophobic people, visiting the Cu Chi tunnels is strongly discouraged, as they will have to crawl behind a guide through narrow passages in pitch darkness, when orientation in space is completely lost.

In Ho Chi Minh City, travel agencies offer tours to see Cu Chi. The tour lasts half a day and costs between $20 and $30. The tour includes watching a film shot by the partisans. The film is in English. Also, during the inspection of the Cu Chi tunnels, tourists are invited to find the entrance to the dungeon, hidden in the jungle. No one manages to find the hatch, although it is hidden right under the feet of tourists.

Near the tunnels there are small shops where you can buy souvenirs and ice cream. There is also a shooting range where tourists have the opportunity to shoot from MK-16 and AK-47.

If the local population can visit the tunnels for free, then everyone else will need to pay to enter. Inspection of the tunnels is possible from two sites: near the village of Bendin and near the town of Benziok. In Bendin, the entrance to the tunnels costs $3, while in Benzioka it costs a dollar more.

You can book an excursion to the tunnels at any travel agency in Ho Chi Minh City: it will cost from $25. The price includes both travel and guide services.

Count the time in such a way that acquaintance with the underground city will drag on for almost the whole day: the round trip and the tour itself.

When to come to Kuti: opening hours of the underground city

Kuti tunnels are open to the public from 8 am to 5 pm all days of the week.

History of Kuti

The tunnel system in the suburbs of Ho Chi Minh City (once Saigon) was laid in the 50s of the 20th century. Members of the Viet Minh Resistance Union, who fought against the French colonialists, began underground work. In the nearby villages, the locals dug their own tunnels. Then all the parts were connected, forming an underground city.

Passages have a width of 0.5-1 meters. Only people of modest build could climb through the tunnel. Some part of the subway had to be expanded so that the "heroic" tourists could squeeze through the catacombs.

Tunnels go deep into 3-5 meters. This depth made it possible to withstand the explosions of shells, light bombs, guns, and even a 50-ton tank.

The US 25th Infantry Division deployed near the village of Kuti in 1965 to suppress the center of Vietnamese resistance. American soldiers experienced the acts of "ghosts" in this area. Shots inside the camp and killed officers, mystical raids with sabotage - all this led to a massive cleansing of the territory. The jungle was demolished by bulldozers, poisoned water and food, carried out gas attacks.

Soon the partisan city was found, but it was hard to get into the "burrows". The "Iron Triangle" (the so-called place near the village of Kuti) did not succumb to destruction. The Viet Cong were nimble, their traps "invisible", and their underground dwelling impregnable.

The Americans let into the holes of "tunnel rats" - specially trained soldiers, but only a small part of them got out. To get a better idea of ​​this war for the tunnels, we recommend watching the movie "Tunnel Rats".

The search for entrances and exits with dogs did not bring good luck: the partisans used pepper to bring down the scent of dogs, dressed in American military uniforms, and washed with their soap.

Only when the Americans connected serious military equipment and began the "carpet bombardment" of the B-52, making funnels up to 20 meters deep, the Vietnamese were defeated.

The underground city was destroyed, but did not surrender. The US Army had to leave the territory as the final phase of the war began.

Cu Chi Tunnels (Vietnam) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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South Vietnam (in particular, the Cu Chi region) was a hotbed of underground resistance during the American expansion. Now this suburban area is called the underground village: its labyrinths stretch underground for 187 km - from Saigon to the very Cambodian border. The tunnels were dug for 15 years with improvised means right under the noses of unsuspecting American infantry.

The small village of Ku-Chi, which took its name from rubber, would have remained one of the inconspicuous villages in which American troops carried out "actions to clean up the area", if not for the amazing perseverance and hard work of the locals. The tunnel system they created, some of which even have multiple "floors", includes countless entrances, living quarters, warehouses, weapons workshops, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Above the main tunnel there is a 4-meter brickwork.

The tunnel can withstand heavy artillery fire and a 100-kilogram bomb.

Tall American soldiers could not penetrate the labyrinths, and those who succeeded were met by numerous traps - so only a few returned from there. Today, the Cu Chi Tunnels have become a major tourist attraction, providing a unique insight into the underground life of the Vietnamese guerrillas.

Cu Chi Tunnels

What to see

A museum complex is equipped in the tunnels for tourists. It is a network of underground passages and sections of some interiors with sculptural models depicting the military everyday life of Vietnamese soldiers. For the convenience of visiting the territory for tourists, huts are equipped where you can sit down, have a bite to eat and watch a video chronicle of the Vietnam War.

The main attraction of the complex is manually dug underground tunnels, during the war they could accommodate up to 16 thousand people. At a depth of 10-15 m, the premises of the barracks, operating rooms, ammunition depots and workshops for their production, as well as classrooms and headquarters have been preserved.

Those who wish can try to squeeze into narrow passages (from 60 to 120 cm wide), but this is only possible for miniature people with a complexion, like the Vietnamese. Inside it is dark and stuffy - people with claustrophobia are contraindicated there.

The guerrillas defended their tunnels as best they could: they were inaccessible to large American soldiers, moreover, they were well camouflaged and protected by traps and traps. On the surface there is a whole collection of such devices.

To better immerse yourself in the atmosphere of hostilities, you can shoot at the local shooting range from various weapons, even from a machine gun. Pleasure costs 300,000 VND for 10 shots, it is best to try on beforehand, as the place for shooting is not for everyone.

Practical Information

Address: Phu My Hung, Cu Chi, Ho Chi Minh City. GPS coordinates: 11.145330, 106.464172.

A visit to the tunnels is included in a day trip at any travel agency in Ho Chi Minh City. It costs from 2,335,000 VND. Prices on the page are for September 2018.

The Cu Chi Tunnels are probably one of the most famous. These tunnels are a network of underground passages that connect the most distant parts of the South and even, as they say, go to. The Ku Si Tunnels were a real headache for the Yankees during the "American" war. Indeed, along these passages, the Vietnamese got up to and staged sabotage. The tunnels stretch in different directions for more than two hundred kilometers.
To visit the tunnels, we decided to book an English-speaking tour, as well as a tour of. It cost about eight dollars along with a visit to the city of Teinin, the center of the Caodai religion. We were taken to the place where the tunnels are best preserved.
So, when you enter the territory of Cu Chi, an area with many huts opens up to your attention, under the roof of which there are something like tunnels.

Of course, the territory is already fully equipped for tourists, there are benches everywhere, in some places they sell drinks and ice cream - that is, you can relax.

These huts are also mainly equipped for tourists - in some there is a plasma TV, which shows wartime pictures, in order to better plunge into the atmosphere of those years.

Also shown are the schemes of the tunnels in the section - in order to see the complexity and multi-tiered structure.

Of course, having seen all this, one wonders how the Vietnamese could hide for so long inside such earthen passages. It is immediately clear that it is very stuffy there. But, you see, it's impressive. Of course, catching the Vietnamese out of these tunnels was almost impossible. How many tiers went down underground is not even clear.

The entrance to the shelter was camouflaged with grass and leaves; it is almost invisible from the outside.

After that, everyone began to try to hide underground.

For larger European men, the shelter was not enough.

Moreover, there is so little space inside that there is practically nothing to breathe.

Then we were shown traps. The main model of the device of traps is the presence of a movable part, which is disguised as the environment. And when someone steps on it, the movable platform turns over and the enemy falls on sharp bars.

And here are the tunnels themselves. Ordinary earth entrance. You can go down the stairs.

I’ll say right away that if you have a fear of enclosed space, you should not go down underground. People will walk in front of you, behind you too. Most of them are with cameras, and that's why everyone goes very slowly. Consider also the fact that it is almost impossible to turn around there, to disperse with someone too: it is very narrow. Therefore, you will have to sit in stuffiness for quite a long time.

The entire territory of the Cu Chi Tunnels is something like a museum where you can see not only the tunnels themselves, traps and various devices, but also the military clothing of that time.

And this guide shows us how various traps work. The general meaning is this: the enemy advances somewhere and either falls through and falls on sharp metal rods, or something works and just sticks into it.

And this exposition is even moving.

On the territory you can also see interesting species of plants and insects.

The entrances to the tunnels are located almost throughout the territory. The whole picture reminded me of something like cheese with holes - there are so many of them.

Well, here are the last tourists climbing out from somewhere out of the ground, and it's time to go back.

In order to appreciate the full scale of the Cu Chi tunnels, imagine that sixteen thousand people could fit in the tunnels at the same time. At a depth of ten to fifteen meters there were huge ammunition depots that could not be seen from the outside, barracks and operating rooms. To be honest, the feeling of visiting the tunnels, with all its traps and killing devices, is somewhat similar to the feeling after visiting - a little creepy. On the other hand, this is the only way to get closer to the events of wartime in.