I'm a Tunnel Rat

One of the unique features of the Vietnam war was the use of tunnels by the Viet Cong (VC.)  Some of these tunnels have been preserved as a tourist attraction, and, judging from the number of buses in the parking lot, it is a very popular attraction. 

Typical tunnel design.  The arrow shows a ventilation shaft.

A vast system of tunnels were dug into the clay soil in Cu Chi province near Saigon.  There were dead ends, curves, rooms and several layers of caves.  Ventilation shafts came out through old termite mounds.  The entrances were well hidden by leaves, grass and other vegetation.  Some entrances were quite small but others were larger, allowing swift entry.  Some of these have been enlarged to allow easier entry for tourists.

I fit into the entrance....

but I needed help getting out.

The enlarged entrance, steps added.

Once you were in the tunnel with its twists and turns, you had to know which turn led to a room and which led to a booby trap.

The camp had store rooms, work rooms, a kitchen and even a hospital, all underground. The arrow shows the location of the kitchen.  The chimney (see circle) was located far from it, probably farther than in this reconstruction, Cooking was done in the early morning when there was often ground fog.  All this was to keep the airplanes from bombing the kitchens. 

There were bobby traps of several kinds as well as landmines made from unexploded bombs.

At the end of our tour, we saw a video talking about the war from the Vietnamese side.  The peace-loving residents of Cu Chi province had their lives and land ruined by blood thirsty Americans.  Valiant fighters were awarded "American-killer Hero" medals.

However you look at it it caused pain and suffering for everyone involved.  Those who sided with the South were sent to "Re-education Camps."  It is still impossible for them or their children to get good jobs or any government jobs.