What was the tunnel system used by the Vietcong in the Vietnam War?
The Vietcong had impressive arrays of tunnels nearly everywhere they operated. Ci Chi has been mentioned, but they also had extensive tunnels in the Ai Drang and in and around the ridge that became known as Hamburger Hill. In fact, wherever the VC were basing, they spent a great deal of time and effort creating tunnel complexes. The reasons for this should be fairly obvious. The US had complete air supremecy over the whole of the South, and therefore cover and concealment was critical. Moreover, the tunnel complexes served as forts which US fire superiority could not vanquish. The tunnels served as defensive positions, supply dumps, hospitals, headquarters, and staging areas for “main force” VC formations throughout the war, as they had against the French and Japanese, as well. Some of the tunnel complexes are still more or less intact, and have become tourist destinations for Americans returning to Vietnam. Only a fairly small number of Americans ever went into those tunnels during th
