Cu Chi: A Legacy of Resistance and Survival

Origins of the Cu Chi Tunnels

Before the first tunnels were carved into the earth, Cu Chi was home to sprawling rubber plantations, managed by a French tire company. The first underground passages were dug by anticolonial Viet Minh forces in the late 1940s, initially intended for weapons storage but soon repurposed as hiding spots for resistance fighters.

By the late 1950s and early 1960s, as the Vietnam War escalated, the Viet Cong (VC)—many of them local villagers—expanded the tunnel network to establish a strategic stronghold in this fiercely antigovernment region. By 1965, Cu Chi had become a sprawling underground labyrinth stretching over 250 kilometers, linking guerrilla forces across the region, including the infamous Iron Triangle across the Saigon River. Some tunnels even ran directly beneath U.S. military bases, allowing the VC to launch surprise attacks and move undetected.

Challenges of Tunnel Construction

Despite the compact red clay of Cu Chi being ideal for tunnel digging—remaining firm and above the Saigon River’s water level—the tunneling process was fraught with dangers. Deadly snakes, scorpions, and centipedes lurked underground, while American bombings forced the VC to devise clever methods for disposing of soil—spreading it in bomb craters or scattering it in rivers at night.

With timber supplies dwindling, the VC resorted to stealing iron fence posts from enemy bases to reinforce tunnels. These passageways could be as narrow as 60cm wide and 80cm high, with four levels of depth. To avoid detection, ventilation shafts—which dispersed smoke and cooking odors—were disguised as termite mounds or hidden beneath thick grass. The VC even sprinkled pepper around vent openings and bathed with American soap to confuse U.S. military dogs tracking their scent.

Life Beneath the Surface

Life inside the tunnels was brutal and suffocating. The cramped, airless spaces became unbearably hot by midday, forcing inhabitants to lie flat on the ground just to breathe. Many suffered temporary blindness when they emerged into daylight after long stretches underground.

At times, fighters spent weeks below the surface, coexisting with rats, bats, venomous snakes, fire ants, and scorpions. Some of these creatures became weapons, as the VC rigged bamboo traps filled with vipers or placed boxes of scorpions where U.S. troops might accidentally trigger them.

Despite the inhumane conditions, the tunnel network included makeshift hospitals, kitchens, wells, dormitories, and meeting rooms. Medical procedures were performed under dim torchlight using crude surgical tools made from bomb fragments. Blood transfusions relied on bicycle pumps and rubber tubing, while medications were obtained by bribing ARVN soldiers in Saigon.

With rice fields and fruit crops destroyed, food supplies were scarce. Fighters survived on tapioca, leaves, and roots, occasionally selling scrap metal from bomb debris to buy food.

The American Counterattack

Despite relentless efforts, U.S. forces struggled to destroy the Cu Chi Tunnels. A frustrated soldier once compared the task to “filling the Grand Canyon with a pitchfork”. American tactics included:

  • Dropping grenades and poison gas into tunnel openings
  • Deploying “tunnel rats”—soldiers sent into the tunnels armed only with a flashlight, knife, and pistol
  • Setting booby traps, though many were countered by deadly VC traps of sharpened bamboo stakes

Psychological warfare was also attempted, with leaflets dropped to demoralize fighters, playing on their fears of isolation and death. While this led to some desertions, it did not stop the VC from orchestrating the Tet Offensive in 1968—a turning point in the war.

Eventually, the U.S. resorted to carpet bombing with B-52s, devastating Cu Chi’s landscape. By war’s end, the region was left in ruins, riddled with bomb craters, devoid of vegetation, and poisoned by chemical warfare. At least 12,000 Viet Cong fighters and sympathizers perished in Cu Chi, yet their resistance helped convince the U.S. that victory was unattainable.

Cu Chi Today

Despite its tragic past, Cu Chi now stands as a symbol of resilience and ingenuity. Visitors can explore sections of the tunnels, crawl through narrow passageways, and witness firsthand the resourcefulness of the Vietnamese guerrillas who once lived and fought here.