In what country are the Cu Chi Tunnels?
South Vietnam
Digging the Cu Chi Tunnels Communist forces began digging a network of tunnels under the jungle terrain of South Vietnam in the late 1940s, during their war of independence from French colonial authority.
Where are the Vietnam War tunnels?
The tunnels of Củ Chi are an immense network of connecting tunnels located in the Củ Chi District of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country.
How big were Viet Cong tunnels?
There were a variety of tunnel types: squad-size tunnels generally were less than 6-feet deep and 100-feet long; company-size tunnels were wider but not extensively compartmented; and battalion-size tunnels could burrow 50 feet underground and sometimes contain up to four different levels.
How did Viet Cong dig tunnels?
“During the monsoon season, the Viet Cong were able to dig the tunnels by hand in the moist clayey soil,” Olson explains. “The alluvial terrace soils were degraded in a tropical climate for thousands of years. “The soil tunnels became stable, resilient, and hard to destroy with bombs.
How long is Cu Chi Tunnels?
Located 75 kilometres northwest of Ho Chi Min City, the Cu Chi Tunnels are an elaborate underground network made up of 250 km (155 mi.) of tunnels and chambers in the town of Cu Chi.
How were Vietnam tunnels built?
The North Vietnamese and VC troops gradually expanded the tunnels. Tunnels frequently were dug by hand in Old Alluvium terraces, and only a short distance at a time. These included Operation Crimp, a search and destroy mission which began in 1966 and a geological and soil survey approach was used to detect VC tunnels.
Are the Cu Chi Tunnels claustrophobic?
Some sections of the tunnels have been widened to allow passage for the fuller frame of Westerners but it’s still a dark, sweaty, claustrophobic experience, and not one you should rush into unless you’re confident you won’t suffer a subterranean freak-out.
How many tunnel rats died in the Vietnam War?
Imagine been alone down there, a million miles from home during those crazy 10,000 days in Vietnam. That both sets of men had to endure this life is appalling. There were never more than 100 Tunnel Rats in country at any one time and around 700 in total. There were 36 killed and 200 wounded.
How did the Viet Cong dug tunnels?