Explore the Củ Chi Tunnels

When American and South Vietnamese forces attacked Vietnam, the Communist troops known as Viet Cong (VC) dug tens of thousands of miles of tunnels. An extensive network ran underneath the Cu Chi district northwest of Saigon. Soldiers used these underground routes to house troops, transport communications and supplies, lay booby traps, and mount surprise attacks, after which they could disappear underground to safety. To combat these tactics, U.S. and South Vietnamese forces trained soldiers known as “tunnel rats”. Now part of a Vietnam War memorial park in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), the Cu Chi tunnels have become a popular tourist attraction.