On Saturday, we traveled to the Cu Chi region of HCMC and explored the tunnels dug by the Vietcong. The tunnels were very intricately designed, and they truly are an engineering marvel. The tunnels were a key advantage exploited by the Vietcong because they were so narrow that it was difficult for an American soldier to navigate them. There were also many booby traps and dangerous creatures in the tunnel. Here is a picture of a typical tunnel (I had to squat very low to get through them!). Notice the bat in the back of the picture.
The tunnels were not completely narrow, however. There were many rooms in the tunnels, such as: bedrooms, kitchens, and hospitals so people could live in the tunnels for years if they wanted to. Here is a picture of a typical room in the tunnels.
After getting out of the tunnels, we took our bus to a soldier's memorial for the people of Cu Chi. Thousands of graves were marked with the names of soldiers from the Cu Chi district. Many, if not most, of these people were killed by American soldiers. This memorial really portrayed the war in a perspective that I was not used to, and I really appreciate Dr. Berman's idea to take us to this memorial.
In conclusion, I learned a lot about the history of the war, gained a new perspective that is rare for Americans, and even tied in the structure of the tunnels with my own engineering interests. The tunnels were exhausting, but today may have been the most fun and enriching day of the trip.
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