U.S. soldiers tasked with entering the Viet Cong tunnels were nicknamed “tunnel rats.” They had to crawl into pitch-black, narrow passages with only a flashlight and a pistol, not knowing if they’d face traps, snakes, or an enemy waiting. Some tunnels were deliberately infested with venomous creatures to slow intruders. | History Collection

The Viet Cong Tunnel Cities The Viet Cong tunnel cities, most notably the Cu Chi Tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City, were an extensive network of underground passages used during the Vietnam War. These tunnels, built by the Viet Cong, served as hidden bases for guerrilla operations, allowing them to evade American and South Vietnamese forces. Spanning over 250 kilometers, the tunnels included living quarters, command centers, medical facilities, and storage areas for weapons and supplies. The design