The Vinh Moc tunnels are tunnels us

The Vinh Moc tunnels are tunnels used by North Vietnam army to fight against the Americans during the Vietnam war and used by the civilian population to protect themselves from the American bombing. These tunnels cover several kilometers on the north shore of the Ben Hai River, in Vinh Moc village near the village of Donh has (Quang Tri province) in the center of Vietnam.

The DMZ (Demilitarized zone acronym) is an established dividing line to separate North Vietnam and South Vietnam after the Indochina war. The DMZ zone of Vietnam ranged from the border with Laos to the Sea (the parallel 17). Much of this DMZ dividing line crossed the River Ben Hai.

Americans, who lived in Southern Vietnam, wanted to force to Vinh Moc peasants to abandon their land, so as to avoid to help Northern Communist forces established on the nearby island with Co (at 28 kilometers from the coast). The people, who had no other place where refuge, refused to leave their lands and the village where he had spent most of his life.

The zone of Vinh Moc was bombed duramente, says that an average of 7 tons of bombs per each inhabitant fell. To flee the bombings and due to the favourable geology of terrain, it was decided to begin excavating a complex of tunnels under the village of Vinh Moc in 1965, thus copying performance and result of the Cu Chi tunnels located on the outskirts of the former Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City.

The complex of Vinh Moc tunnels were built on the shore North of the Ben Hai River. The construction sites it took 13 months (1965 and 1966), or what is the same, 18,000 work days of all persons of the village, which were used for its construction only instruments of tillage and with which moved a total of 6,000 m3 of Earth.

It is estimated that 300 people (about 60 families) lived permanently in tunnels during the years 1966 to 1972, 17 children were born in the interior of the Vinh Moc tunnels.

The tunnels extend 2.8 km-long, divided in 3 levels underground 12 meters, 18 meters and 22 meters respectively.
The top level was suitable for the life of the families, that leader in small dwellings dug into the limestone rock of 4 meters wide, 0.8 meters in height and 1.8 meters wide.
The second level was used to store the weapons and supplies, in addition to maintaining strategic meetings.
The last and deepest level, was used to seek refuge from the bombing, since American bombs were designed to penetrate 10 meters under the ground.