Do You like book The Tunnels Of Cu Chi (1986)?
Who would have foreseen that over a million GIs would serve in Vietnam, and that the war would drag on for over ten years? How did a 'backward' nation outface the world's greatest superpower? Largely in part to the battle in the tunnels of Cu Chi between Viet Cong guerrillas and American 'Tunnel Rats.' This area covered 200 miles of underground tunnel complexes of as many as four separate levels.'In one month, throughout South Vietnam, the Americans fired about a trillion bullets, 10 million mortar rounds, and 4.8 million rockets. And this was just the beginning of the war.' Americans relied heavily on their overwhelming superiority in weapons technology. Most of the GIs had only a sketchy idea of what they were fighting for. Australia's military involvement was initially supported because of the concern of spreading Communism. The English writers have talked to the soldiers on both sides and it makes for a fascinating read. For example, I didn't know about the psychological operations. American loudspeakers would broadcast children's voices, crying out in Vietnamese. Most of the Viet Cong's Tet operations were failures. But it was at that moment at which American casualties surpassed those in the Korean War. Public and political opinion in America never recovered. Vietnam had spent 30 years in war for independence and although the Viet Cong could honestly claim the victory, it was North Vietnam that took the glory, and the power.
—Clare
One of the better books on the Vietnam War on the personal level. The authors were able to interview survivors of both sides of the tunnel warfare which essentially won the war for the Vietnamese communists. Both sexes took part in the warfare, including combat, on the Vietnamese side as had occurred in earlier Vietnamese history. The VC had entertainers to keep up morale, just like the US side. What is interesting is the different attitudes of the American commanders, the CG of the 1st Infantry Division early on figured out the importance of the tunnel system and had special organizations established to combat them (tunnel rats). The CG of the 25th didn't understand their importance, considering them a minor nuisance. Unfortunately for the US, the Iron Triangle was riddled with tunnels and an effective guerrilla organization until TET 68. In the end it was the NVA that took the glory of what was really a Vietnamese southern guerrilla victory.
—Bruce
I found this gem of a book in a half price book store and was amazed at how ingenious the Viet Cong were during the war effort. The author wrote a fair and balanced perspective of the Vietnam war effort. I was amazed of how the tunnel system worked to the advantage for the Viet Cong against the Special Forces who became known as Tunnel Rats. The so called Tunnel Rats had to explore, destroy, and hopefully not find the enemy and lose their life. The Tunnels were booby trapped with punji sticks, venomous snakes and other means to keep the Americans out of their efficient and effective tunnel system.The tunnel system for the Viet Cong provided them to create hospitals for the wounded, communication stations, places for strategic plans to ambush the Americans in the jungle. The Americans never grasped the enormity of the tunnels which allowed the Viet Cong to stay elusive and disappear in a second without detection. It kept American forces baffled as to why they could never find the Viet Cong. It amount to great losses in the jungles of Vietnam for the American soldiers. But despite the risk of being killed of going into the tunnels, the Americans continued to risk their lives to win the war against of the sneakiest and ingenious enemies they have ever encountered.
—Susan
