The city of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam is always a captivating city to visit. The discerning visitor desiring service apartments in Ho Chi Minh City will find an appealing choice in the Somerset Chancellor Court Ho Chi Minh City. This well-reputed accommodation offers quality interiors with respectful service so as to ensure a satisfying stay.
Visitors to Ho Chi Minh City should make it a point to visit the well-known Cu Chi Tunnels. This network of tunnels that once sheltered Viet Cong fighters during the Vietnam War has become a popular tourist attraction which provides a fascinating insight into this time of conflict. The tunnels at the Cu Chi District are in fact only a small portion of the network of tunnels that existed over a considerable part of the war-torn nation.
The Cu Chi tunnels were directly involved in the horrors of war, encountering overwhelmingly powerful American bombings and firepower. These tunnels functioned as the centre of operations for the Viet Cong during 1968’s Tet Offensive. The Viet Cong used these tunnels to shelter troops, assist in the transportation of supplies and communications, launch surprise strikes and place hidden traps.
Over the course of the conflict this network of underground tunnels developed into a complex metropolis with defensive fortifications, living areas and hospitals. These tunnels permitted a significant number of the fighters and their allies to remain underground even during periods of heavy bombing and attack. In some sections the tunnels were dug up to three storeys in depth. To counter these tactics US forces flushed the tunnels with gas, hot tar or water, or attempted to blow up and thereby seal openings. Although conditions within the tunnels were abysmal, US as well as South Vietnamese military forces attempted to train troops to penetrate and engage the enemy within the tunnels. In the final analysis, however the tunnels were instrumental in enabling the Viet Cong to withstand and ultimately overcome overwhelmingly forceful American military assaults.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
