Cu Chi

A rural district of Saigon Cu Chi became prominent during the Viet Nam war for its famous tunnels and for housing the base that would be the headquarters of the 25th Infantry Division. The tunnels in particular were of enormous importance to North Vietnamese forces operating in the are allowing communist beligirents to move around relatively undetected and maintain vital supply routes during the intensive bombing campaigns undertaken by the United States. The tunnels would also serve as their base of operations during the Tet Offensive of 1968, which marked a major turning point in the war. American, Australian, and South Vietnamese soldiers, along with other allied forces would undergo missions in the tunnels and were given the nickname 'Tunnel Rats' a highly dangerous job for a number of reasons ranging from cramped conditions upon enemy contact, deadly animals, disease, and the labyrinthian nature of the them.  Nowadays the tunnels serve as a tourist attraction keeping the realities of the war alive. For more information I recommend The Tunnels of Cu Chi by Tom Mangold