Day 41- Legacy of the Vietnam War

We had a rather somber day today as our two main activities were focused on the Vietnam War. Our day began with a 7am pick by Ly. We drove northwest for about 2.5 hours to the Cu Chi District of Ho Chi Minh City to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels which the Vietnamese claim to be the key to their victory of the war.

Photo #1 represents the area of South Vietnam that housed the tunnels. They were an immense underground network that served as hiding places for the Viet Cong which included thousands of soldiers. We were reminded that the Viet Cong were the South Vietnamese citizens who were supportive of the North Vietnamese and who were fighting on their behalf.

The tunnels had three levels underground (going as deep as 35 feet) and had a number of different chambers that were used for different functions such as meeting rooms, kitchens, weapon caches, hospitals, and sleeping rooms. Photo #2 is a model of one of the tunnel systems being explained to us by Ly. Photo #3 was an entrance to the tunnels.

Then, we got a chance to enter into the tunnels:

A tunnel guide demonstrated to us how the entrances to the tunnels were kept hidden:

The Viet Cong were typically small but even they had to crawl from room to room. You can see how tight the space was for getting around (not so good for our claustrophobia or Steve's knees and head)!

The engineers used an incredible amount of ingenuity and creativity when designing the tunnels. For example, they had staggered venting within the tunnels to dissipate the smoke from the kitchen so that when the smoke eventually released from the tunnels it wouldn't rise and alert the opposition. They also disguised the vents as termite or ant hills (photo #1). Photo#3 is one of the meeting rooms they would use for eating or discussing war plans. They also incorporated enemy traps in the case of invasion.

The overall strategic use of the tunnels was that the Viet Cong would spend the day in the tunnels and emerge at night to execute ambushes. They would then retreat to the tunnels when being counter attacked or when finishing for the evening. This practice of local community involvement, a steady supply chain from the North (via the Ho Chi Minh trail) and guerilla warfare tactics against the South Vietnamese and the Americans made the war the nightmare that it was for all.

Staying with the theme of the day, our second stop for the was the Vietnam War Museum which is in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City (so another 2 hours back to the city). Our guide warned us that the museum is presented in an Anti-American way, so we were mentally prepared. Although it was difficult to see many sad and graphic photos it was good to read about the history of the country and be aware of the Vietnamese government's historical perspective.

We also learned a range of perspectives from each of our guides, who all have personal family history and some representing both sides of the war, that the current feelings about the war in Vietnam are complicated. But especially the younger generation who did not experience the war personally and directly, claim to have a forward-looking approach knowing that begrudging the past will not help them now.

On a happier note, we had a lovely local lunch including sweet and sour soup, dragon beans, fried tofu and stir-fried chicken (not shown). Luckily Ly ordered for us, and we loved everything!

Exhausted from the day, we had a quiet dinner at the hotel and an early night.

Vietnam Fun Facts:

• An average salary is about $400 per month

• Our guide lives in a room that is 60 square feet. There is only room for his mattress and room to hang a few clothes along the wall (he showed us a picture). He uses a shared bathroom and pays $80 per month.

• Wine is one of the most expensive items on a menu because it is all imported in South East Asia. An entree usually costs about $6-8 and a glass of wine can be twice that. We will have sticker shock when we get home!