THE DEE EM ZEE. PART 2

 26th Dec 2022

More armoured vehicles left behind, they left almost everything behind, at Khe Sanh

Left: Just to remind you of where we were going, or had been.

After Khe Sahn we retraced our steps and passed the Dakrong Bridge (right). This is a splendid suspension bridge over the river Dakrong and was paid for by Cuba (allies of the North Vietnamese), and opened in person by Fidel Castro on a visit to Vietnam in 1973. .

Then on to the Hien Luong bridge over the river Ben Hai (left). The centre of this bridge marked the border between North and South Vietnam. 

Right: Each side (north/south) of the bridge was painted a different colour. They kept changing colours. The Americans bombed it and destroyed it in 1967 and 1970. They enjoyed their 'bombing' escapades. I'm not sure what purpose it served. The NVA didn't need bridges to cross the river.

As in Korea, both the North and South deployed loudspeaker systems at the border here to shout rude things at each other over the river. Left: The speakers on the southern side.

Right: Those on the Northern side, which were much bigger and louder. A war of words ensued!

Onwards to the northern side of the DMZ to, what was, the village of Vinh Moc. This village was suspected by the US of harbouring VC and VNA troops. In true tradition they bombed the place flat with no adverse effect on the NVA/VC. Not a single house was left standing. The surviving villagers proceeded to build a tunnel system and to live underground.

The tunnels were on three levels, at 9m, 15m and 30m depth. They contained living accomodation, store rooms, ventilation shafts, a conference room, fresh water wells, an armoury and even a hospital where several ladies gave birth (one of the old guides was born underground there!).

It was similar in construction to the Cu Chi tunnels south-west of Saigon but did not serve a military purpose, just somewhere to live and be protected from the American bombs. There were many deep bomb craters at ground level!  There was an exit out of the lowest 3rd level to the sea which was used to resupply the complex. Right: One of the living spaces. It was quite an extraordinary feat of local engineering.

We could descend to the 2nd and 3rd levels, the top level had more or less collapsed. It was damp and very warm and humid down there, with rather slippery steps and floors.

Left: Our guide, Ngoc, showing us the way, often having to use his modile phone light, through the dimly lit passageways and down very slippery steps. It became a maze of passageways and would be easy to get disorientated and lost! In their day the villages only had candles and oil lamps.

The Americans continued to bomb the area still suspecting the place to harbour NVA and VC troops. Their bombs went bang, made big holes, but did not penetrate the tunnels. They really were quite hopeless!

Right: My travelling companion at one of the exit/entry points. Maybe he will read this. If so "Greetings Maheer!" Good to meet you.

I finish this tour here. It was a long drive back to Hue.

My next installment will describe some appalling goings-on by the American troops. Not for the squeamish! You have been warned.