Since coming to Vietnam we have tried to explain to the boys about the history of the country and most specifically, about the Vietnam war. It’s a tough subject for young children to understand, but nothing has brought it more to life for them than our visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels, just north of Ho Chi Minh.

The tunnels were first dug by Vietnamese fighters during the war for independence from the French, but the tunnel systems were massively expanded by northern Viet Cong fighters during the Vietnam war (1955-1975).

The Southern Vietnamese and American forces were generally better trained and equipped than the Northern Vietnamese fighters, but guerrilla tactics employed by the Viet Cong allowed them to successfully launch attacks on Saigon and the American forces stationed close by, the tunnel system was essential to this style of warfare.

The Cu Chi Tunnels extend for over 200 miles in total and consist of three levels of tunnel system allowing fighters to travel over long distances undetected, launch surprise attacks, and disappear again without trace. The tunnels contained, living quarters, weapons manufacturing rooms, hospital quarters, refectories and even social rooms and cinemas. The tunnels were extremely small and narrow so that larger Americans had trouble accessing them to follow the Viet Cong. They were also riddled with booby traps like deep pits full of spikes, blind corners that allowed easy ambush, and even strategically placed poisonous snakes and scorpions!

Visiting the tunnels is quite an experience and really gives you insight into how difficult life must have been for both the Viet Cong living in them and for the Americans who were under constant attack. It was really sobering to think of the countless lives that were lost fighting in the jungle here and the conditions they must have endured over the 20 years of the war.