Do the Vietnam tunnels still exist?

The 75-mile (121 km)-long complex of tunnels at Củ Chi has been preserved by the government of Vietnam, and turned into a war memorial park with two different tunnel display sites, Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc.

What were the tunnels in Vietnam called?

Digging the Cu Chi Tunnels As the United States increasingly escalated its military presence in Vietnam in support of a non-Communist regime in South Vietnam beginning in the early 1960s, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops (as Communist supporters in South Vietnam were known) gradually expanded the tunnels.

How deep did Viet Cong tunnels go?

At a site just north of the 17th Parallel that formerly divided North from South Vietnam, the tunnels run up to 80 feet deep and allowed inhabitants to withstand almost incessant bombing by B52s. “The tunnels were invaluable,” said Nguyen Van Thanh, one of the Cu Chi guides.

How many Tunnel Rats were there in Vietnam?

I would come to learn it was the latter. Our tunnel rat unit was small, with at most 120 men in the country at any time, and a total of around 700 who served from 1965 to 1972.

Did any Tunnel Rats survive?

Today, some of the tunnels used in the war still exist, preserved and maintained by the Vietnamese government. Visitors can crawl through sections of the tunnels used by Vietcong troops and Tunnel Rats alike – but now, at least, there are no mines, booby traps or poisonous snakes to contend with!

How many tunnel rats were there in Vietnam?

700
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. A rate of 1 in 3. An incredibly high attrition rate.

Where did the most casualties take place in the Vietnam War?

South Vietnam
The war persisted from 1955 to 1975 and most of the fighting took place in South Vietnam; accordingly it suffered the most casualties. The war also spilled over into the neighboring countries of Cambodia and Laos which also endured casualties from aerial and ground fighting.

How many miles of tunnels are in Vietnam?

In all tens of thousands of miles of tunnels were dug throughout the country. The history of the tunnels dates back to the Vietnamese resistance to the French occupation of the country. The tunnels of Củ Chi are some of the more famous tunnels forming a network in the Củ Chi District of Ho Chi Minh City (then Saigon).

Why are the Cu Chi tunnels in Vietnam so famous?

Now part of a Vietnam War memorial park in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), the Cu Chi tunnels have become a popular tourist attraction. 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.

Why visit Vietnam’s War-era tunnels?

For war buffs and history enthusiasts, tours of Vietnam’s war-era underground tunnels are a must-visit. During the long and dark years of the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fought long and hard against South Vietnam, America, and its allies.

What is the name of the tunnel complex in Quang Tri?

Vinh Moc (Vịnh Mốc) is a tunnel complex in Quang Tri, Vietnam. It is located in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) near Hien Luong Bridge, which established as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam from July 1954 to 1976 as a result of the First Indochina War. Followed one designer witnessing this said that the real name was Son Vinh Tunnel.