A very long trail running through Laos and
Cambodia (adjoining countries) where
resources for the VC (e.g food, weapons, oil
etc) was passed through on bicycles
The trail was covered by jungles so USA didn't know where it was
This was effective because
the USA didn't know where
it was and even if they did,
they couldn't attack it
because it was in other
countries (which supported
the VC) so they couldn't
invade them. It meant that
the VC were still strong and
thriving, and showed they
were organised too.
Tunnels
Underground
so USA couldn't
find them even
if they
'carpet-bombed'
It was where VC
would live for
months on end with
their resources and
had sleeping,
eating and medical
care caves.
Effective because USA didn't know
where it was and it was protected
against their weapons. It was a
huge network of tunnels and gave
VC a safe base in South Vietnam
Hit and Run
VC fighters would shoot at the
American troops then run and
hide in the tunnels underground.
(They could also hide in the trees
in the jungles).
This was effective
because it meant
the US troops
could never see
their enemy and
had to always be
alert and on the
watch for anything
Booby Traps
Pitfall traps: a pit would be
dug and spikes put in it
(which were covered with
poison and excrement to
make wounds fester) and
covered up with soil and
leaves so American troops
could fall into it at any time
Swinging spike logs: a log
would be hidden out of sight and
was covered with sharp spikes to
fatally injure a US soldier. It
would come swinging down at
any moment to hit someone
Tunnel booby traps: metal
frames covered in metal
spikes would slam into an
intruder in the tunnels
Spikes:
buried under
earth so you
could stab
your foot on
one at any
time
The resources for these simple traps often came from the
remnants of weapons that the USA had fired on the
VC and they were made by villagers for them
Effective because US soldiers could
never see the enemy and had to be
constantly alert for traps which was
tiring. South Vietnamese villagers
made these traps so it brought them
closer to the VC and they were more
supportive of them