To get a full appreciation for the tunnels, you must understand the Vietnamese people and their persistence in the war. Vietnam was founded in 208 BC and was settled by southeast Asian hunters and farmers (Vietnam 1). The country was soon conquered by China and became a territory. For centuries, the people of Vietnam fought with the Chinese empire over their land. It wasn’t until 1802 that Vietnam was once again reunited under one kingdom (Vietnam 1). Tragically, this independence was once again short lived. In 1858, France conquered the country and placed it under French colonial rule. Using tactics from centuries of battle with China, the Vietnamese people used guerilla warfare to cripple the French army. They used the vegetation and terrain of their country as hiding places to elude the French army. Japan invaded in 1940 and forced out the French government (Vietnam 1). The Japanese held control of the country for five years and encountered many of the same tactics the French armies had faced. The outbreak of the First Indochina War split the country into communist North Vietnam and democratic South Vietnam.

 This history is crucial to understanding the Vietnamese people and their persistence during American involvement in the war.  After centuries of conquest, the country finally gained its independence from the French, and its people would rather die than lose it again.  After centuries of invasions, the people of Vietnam developed a very effective system of warfare which included using their natural surroundings. They learned to overpower larger forces by using hit and run tactics and the topographical features of Vietnam to disorient enemies.  All the prior historic invasions of Vietnam prepared the North Vietnamese forces for the American army and lead to their survival against American and South Vietnamese forces in the Vietnam war.