Cu Chi Tunnels and the pitfalls of Vietnam partisans
Cu Chi Tunnels - Land of Steel
Diagram simulate the Cu Chi Tunnels
The resilience and strength of intense combat and civil military gesture is maintained by a system of tunnels - tunnels many laminated floor extending to 200 km, the army and people of Cu Chi tectonic continuity in many consecutive years, with numerous secret hatch to the surface, the loophole - secret fire, the bunker, the underground factories, warehouses and military barracks residence, above the dense layout and underground mines husband, pitfalls.
Description of the Cu Chi Tunnels is simple: this is the underground system of secret underground fortifications systems are camouflaged and very thorough deep in a tropical jungle. The purpose of the system Cu Chi Tunnels - Christmas surprise attack on the enemy during the war years of the U.S. military in Vietnam. System tunnels - the struggle to be studied very carefully and think about the calculations can kill the enemy attacked from all sides. Complex network of tunnels zigzac spread in all directions from the main tunnel shaft and spread into numerous branches, some branches are hiding a secret tunnel, there are suddenly a dead arm by the special conditions of the terrain.
But guerrillas intelligent and skillful in Vietnam, to save energy and time, have dug tunnels are not very deep, but designed to compute, whether in the case of tanks and armored vehicles move switch on the tunnel roof, the top being shelled and bombed tunnels-also without loss, subsidence, collapse and remain durable for those who have built up.
Tunnel Rats
To this day, the tunnel system - multi-level tunnels, multiple layers of complexity remains unchanged as during the war, with the hatch covers and hatch secret underground passage connecting the middle of the basement . In the tunnel system, in different places have closed down special button, which is used to prevent the enemy or prevent toxic gas. On the wrists for the length of all tunnels are carved the ventilation vents and secret information on the ground and are very discreet disguise. Part of the secret door ventilation can be used as a secret of fire, and it is always one of the big surprises for the enemy.
For guerrilla intelligence, it is not enough, tunnels and paths are arranged in a multitude of deadly traps and clever ingenuity combined with the anti-tunnel and other dangerous pitfalls . Road to the tunnel and out of the hole, to ensure confidentiality and safety, arrange battle anti-tank and anti-infantry dense interwoven with each other.
During the war, there were times in the tunnel system containing both 1 army or the inhabitants of a village, which helped Vietnam to protect more lives. In the tunnel stocks armament, ammunition and explosives of all kinds, food and health care facilities battlefield, with no smoke kitchen (Hoang Cam kitchen), hospital War for the wounded, the basement - bedrooms, the original field commander, shelter and living for women, children and the elderly. More precisely, this is not a village but a city in the ground. Even during the war, people did not forget Vietnam culture and education: in the basement classroom layout, and where it can also be used to revolutionize film and art performances of Letter of battlefield missions. But more specifically, that world secrets hidden deep in the ground.
Using both the bomber and B-52 heavy artillery, the Americans had rubbed the Cu Chi for years, but a multitude of bombing and shelling the continuous phase does not bring the desired results, Cu Chi is still the land of dead U.S. Marines and squadrons Saigon, Americans themselves are forced to go down that dark tunnel. Unlike Hollywood films, (the rat tunnel - Tunnel rats) were selected from the soldiers not tall, skinny and desperate people, ready with a pistol enters the darkness of death , in tunnels, waiting for American soldiers crowded the suffocating, murky darkness, mines, traps, poisonous snakes, scorpions, and then again as the battle-hardened guerrillas.
3 layer system of tunnels dug into the hard clay soil with primitive agricultural tools of many groups of people of many Vietnam generation, each group can tunnel from 3 to 4 people. as an educator, a person pulled from the ground in a tunnel deep vertical wells, a basket of excavated soil is pulled upward, lifting someone somewhere, secretly poured marks under the dense bush or pour scattered into the river.
When the nest is adopted together tunnels, dug wells are located a lifetime in the making bamboo vents, wells were filled up, compacted and vents disguised as termite nests or tree item or any other shape ....
Secret cellar door only from Vietnam can slip underground.
The Americans decided to use dogs to search the vents and out into the tunnel. The Cu Chi guerrilla fighters used clothing Americans, typically M65 jacket (known as the Vietnamese or American shirt) usually throw away when American soldiers wounded or wound. Terriers familiar smell of Americans ignore. After this partisan use pepper minced disable sense of hounds departed the soap or the U.S., to work longer deceive the enemy hounds.
In many cases, the secret hatch also found, Americans tried pumping gas or CS gas (tear do, watery eyes) into the tunnel. But layered system, many of the tunnels corner with countless doors closed and the tunnel was flooded disable all attempts of the U.S. Army, Vietnam's guerrilla simply lost track tunnel, demolish the walls of the tunnels are sealed both ends of the tunnel and forget about it, they dug a tunnel to bypass and other efforts of U.S. troops does not bring any results are considered.
Tunnel with the air filter door and door water filter, preventing chemicals.
Cu Chi Tunnels Throughout the war years in not only the public, but the shelter's play War of workshops, providing weapons, war equipment and rudimentary rudimentary combined with modern aimed destroy the enemy. For partisans, steel and explosives are extremely valuable material, and provide regular Americans through storm waves attacking the bombs rain bullets (just suspicious signs - light smoke , sound ..) immediately the B-52 carpet bombing would wipe out the trees in the area, transforming a large area of the surface of the moon.
Self-made anti-tank mines, cluster bombs homemade launchers guerrilla Ring of Steel Cu Chi
But the brave partisans collect bombs, large and small - from bombs, cluster bombs and bunker, enemy shells, a large number of bombs were removed caps, cut out to get the explosives, the smaller type easy to carry as 105 artillery shells, cluster bombs, shells are used as 20 cups of homemade mines. Iron and steel forgings used for nose up against the spikes and pitfalls service and other war supplies.
In addition to the workshops War, the tunnels have a full cafeteria, Hoang Cam kitchen team, dressed in military clothing factory and civilian use. Vietnam jungle of steel and soil his gesture in it a lot of surprises for the dangerous enemy, it can be homemade mines, enough to pierce M41 tanks, or it can be homemade rough snare, Holiwood be used in the film his famous war. The fact of the weapons that are also on display at the Museum of Cu Chi.
M48 Tanks Booty, a period is the headquarters of Cu Chi guerrilla
Pitfalls, primitive weapons of guerrilla Vietnam
In the American war, rudimentary weapons have played an important role, it will break the enemy's invasion. We see the homemade weapons - fear that Vietnam's invasion.
Pitfalls of Vietnam, is the crude homemade weapons, but very dangerous and effective, has made the U.S. expeditionary force much loss of energy. Maybe, someday, we must also use the same type of weapon.
Tiger trap jaws - GIS (Americans) are gently maneuver on the trail, suddenly ground under his feet and fallen American soldiers fell into a pit full of anti-anti iron or sharp bamboo. If you're lucky and do not die immediately, he screamed in pain, the remaining troops will be gathered to try to pull him up out of the tunnel against such horrors. Normally around the ring against which the secret door, the fear of fire marks guerrilla sniper shooters.
Gifts of Vietnam (Vietnamese souvenir) - also known as Chong poked. A homemade weapons technology with nature. In the pit with iron against cross plug, sent on a round board has full stretch, connecting with long sharp iron nails. When GIS walked on the hole carefully camouflaged with dry leaves, grass or dirt, retractable legs and pull down on the thin boards, the 4 iron nails piercing the thigh and the tree crashed against the cross ankle, injured people can not pull out without digging large holes and pull out all the nails up. Often in such cases, soldiers do not die but certainly hurt the foot completely, to quickly put the military hospital in Saigon for surgery, the soldier was awarded the nails as a souvenir, so Chong poked Celebrating aka Vietnam.
Chong hom - A husband is structured as a cuttings basket both, the key is not responsible for crashing into the ankle, but had been unable to move GIS. Chong cuttings are usually soaked in water or mud muddy field by the river. Soldiers jump from the landing helicopter or canoe down the river and ... stand still with the railway cuttings through ankle deep.
There are also homemade weapons not just damage, but also the horrific nightmares for the rest - anti-rotation axis. On turn 2 cylinder is attached to the free husband - iron nails, walked on, GIS quickly create many holes in the body.
For guys who like to break into the house without knocking, or a kick out of the spikes, Vietnam guerrilla generously donated their kind Chong added another special structure, a simple 2 bar T interconnected threshing style anchor, tied up on the ceiling and connected to the door, when the door is opened all range, anti-lock will break down and GIS go straight to hell, if he could put gun support, from the thighs and stomach will hurt for sure.
Chong wings. This is a very simple type of husband. The young guerrilla soldiers of Vietnam has made it in practice now. The principle is really simple. Place two boards against police nhauco iron plugged into a small hole has two levels and when the enemy stepped into that hole, pointy nails, have been contaminated piercing ankles. Make sure to wound infections and blood infections if not promptly taken to the hospital.
Chong barren - Built on the principles of leverage, on both ends of the boards should have a sharp husband. When enemies trample one end, the other end will pop up and hit straight in the chest and head with the husband.
Anti-arm is made up of two long planks hook sharp nails, can move to either side and tied together with rubber bands or springs. Two boards are stretched out and fight with horizontal struts - often hard bamboo. When Americans step up and step drop strut hole, he will fall into the hole and stretch her arms retractable prop blow holes, two boards with a nail lodged in his move to the middle of the body trap caught.
Chong rake. Open to the GIS, making this trap is simple. Just special bamboo sticks tied together into a T, the bar is closed against the long sharp, anti-lock hanging on the high wire and connected to a small rope was strung across the ground - usually hardly used fishing line to realize, when enemy soldiers entered the gates and entangled in the rope, the result will be two legs or thighs husband will be penetrated.
In addition, there are anti-doors, anti-auto, with the same texture as those mentioned pitfalls, but depending on the situation and terrain to layout arrangement.
In the area covered by tropical forests have not been violent destruction of herds and artillery bombing, U.S. troops faced big trap hunting buffalo bison, tigers.
Traps need to turn - Use an old bamboo trees bend, the tree cover is attached to bamboo or wooden stick pointed at a cost required to keep connected with jute and traps, fishing line often stretched thin rod knee level somewhere on the trail. When the enemy entangled in wires, wire stretching will release the brake to turn, and bamboo with bamboo sticks, wooden pointed to cross whipped body unlucky soldiers. Usually when hit, soldiers killed immediately.
Traps hung husband, similar trap to turn a piece of wood, stone or shell stone basket, hook nose against the sharp bamboo or iron, usually placed, suspended high above the trees out of sight, the connection with wires, or if the opponent is caught in a guerrilla fighters hiding somewhere jerk, piece of wood, which would have banned employees from the top down against the victim, usually to attack large groups of soldiers.
Anti-fall traps, similar to anti-hook, is a piece of woven bamboo slats old, hard, bristling mounted against the sharp nose, put heavy objects such as rocks, bricks to strengthen the attack, when the enemy fall into the trap, staging anti'll break down and damage the opponent's stones.
In addition to the anti-trap quite complicated, Americans are faced with homemade weapons dangerous but very annoying because it's hard looking. and creativity of the weapons, it seems that the damage is extremely, from the oblique bow hunt, duck grenades, bullets to 7.62 mm, 12.7 mm normal ammo, more a little creativity into, and that is the death trap.
Traps oblique nose. A combined sample of Highland crossbow launchers and Delta fish skewers, sloping nose with compressed springs or tension placed on the launch pad of rubber bands, brake key tree with fishing line used 1 can release the brake, when U.S. soldiers kicked wire, mount and hitch pin nose oblique, has been contaminated - probably oil or fish blood or regularly cross the legs, thighs, make sure septicemia .
Traps with straight bullets, a bamboo tube, plug in a piece of iron with a metal lugs like fire, a ballpoint pen springs and bullets. Buried trap on the trail, when walked on GIS, the bullet go down and touch the metal lugs fire. Lighter bullet through the foot, injury may be more serious or even fatal legs.
Traps grenade: grenade key speculum was removed and put into tube or tube for dairy cows, horizontal force in the bush or in muddy puddles or canals. When marines or commandos, infantry passing gotten into rope grenade exploded. The result is a very easy to understand for unlucky group of soldiers.
