Indian minister visits Vietnam's `secret holes'

Ulhas Joglekar ulhasj at bom4.vsnl.net.in
Mon Apr 10 19:31:49 PDT 2000


Thursday 30 March 2000

Fernandes visits Vietnam's `secret holes' By Man Mohan The Times of India News Service HO CHI MINH CITY (South Vietnam): Indian defence minister George Fernandes slowly thumped his feet over dry tree leaves and said: ``It is here.'' The impressed Vietnamese army officers clapped. Fernandes had found one of the ``secret holes'' to enter the famous Cu-Chi tunnels 70 km from here in lush green bamboo jungles. The tunnels in Chu-Chi district have gone into the fighting history of the Vietnamese people as a legend and become world famous. The Vietnamese guerrillas virtually lived underground in a cobweb of 250 km long tunnels north of Saigon river. Through 30 years of war, first against the French and later against the Americans, the Cu-Chi heroes inflicted heavy damages on the enemy which most of the time could not detect their movements underground. The first tunnel, built in 1948 during the war against the French, was followed by more against the Americans. Using these tunnels, the Vietnamese armed forces and Cu-Chi people, including women and children, had killed 20,000 Americans, destroyed more than 5,000 tanks and armoured cars, shot down and damaged 256 aircraft, wrecked and burnt 22 war boats and ships, dismantled and annihilated military posts over 270 times. Soon after arriving here from Hanoi on Wednesday morning, Fernandes drove straight to the Cu-Chi tunnels which have been restored at Ben-Duoc or Phu-My-Hung heroic village. The tropical jungle is entwined with thick bamboo and other plants, making movement difficult. In thick foliage are spread underground system of three layers of tunnels each connected with another, comprising weapons store room, command headquarters, kitchen, rest rooms and tiny vents of air. Overground, the tunnels were camouflaged, like the ``hole'' Fernandes discovered by feeling the ground with his feet. Fernandes went down the tunnels up to two levels ``to have a feel of the place.'' Coming overground, he just said: ``Terrific...Only after seeing these tunnels one can understand the determination with which they had fought.'' One feels suffocated while traversing through narrow tunnels. The tunnels were built to fit in small and slim Vietnamese. The Americans could never enter them. But they had used all tricks to destroy these tunnels but were unsuccessful. They had used water, ``sewer rats'' (30,000 troops for the operation) to peel off the crust of the earth; B-52 fighters to bomb the villages and used 3,000 Alsatian dogs to smell the guerrillas. Americans had had described the tunnels as ``underground village!''......``Dangerous Secert Zone!'' The Vietnamese are preserving the entire 200-km long tunnel system, although only a small portion is open to tourists. Outside, there are many souvenirs shops selling famous Cu-Chi guerrillas' green caps and white-grey checks scarf and many other ``war mementos'' like miniature of American tanks, fighter planes, artillery pieces and guns. If you ever happen to visit the Cu-Chi tunnels, do not hesitate. Just step down underground, and you will uncover many interesting things about the brave people who with limited resources could defeat world's most powerful army. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service
|Disclaimer|
For comments and feedback send Email © Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 2000.



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list