As if the vietnam conflict wasnt rough enough, here are 5 intense booby traps used by the viet cong in the jungles of vietnam. Tunnels evidencedetails these lead from the village out into the jungle. This publication covers various vc methods of employing land mines, water mines, explosive boobytraps, and nonexplosive boobytraps. Basics examples vietcong stands for the vietnamese communists. One item left out was the important fact of marking mines, booby traps all jungle warfare and i. They were often marked by the viet cong using broken bushes, palm leaves, or certain alignments of sticks, such as a rectangle or tripod. A book of information on vietcong mines and booby traps gained from marine experiences in vietnam. A concise and well rounded volume that describes and illustrates nearly 25 different viet cong boobytraps and explosive devices including mudball mine and cartridge trap, as well as demolitions, fuses and firing devices plus countermeasures how to detect a marked mine and emergency handling guidance for explosive devices detection, outdoor search techniques, disarming. Not only did the american soldiers have to be on the constant lookout for nonuniformed north vietnamese soldiers and viet cong, but they had to worry that with each step they took, they may end up. The particular book vietcong booby traps has a lot of information on it.
They were commanded by the central office for south vietnam, which was located near the cambodian border. I always felt the north vietnamese government tolerat. In this beginners guide to the subject of making booby traps, we are going to cover two primary subjects. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want.
Booby traps booby traps were used by the viet cong as nonexplosive land mines. Field manual tm 531 boobytraps published by the department of the army in 1969. During the war vietcong and nva soldiers became highly experienced in making deadly contraptions that were responsible for. Vietnam war, north vietnamese and vietcong, booby traps. Viet cong and nva tunnels and fortifications of the. More than one out of ten american battlefield casualties in vietnam was the result of a booby trap of one kind or another. Many tunnel rats were killed while down in the tunnels as the vietcong set booby traps to kill the tunnel rats.
Booby trap simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. How effective were the vietcong tactics of booby traps and tunnels in the vietnam war. It is usually triggered by the actions of the victim who did not know the booby trap was there. Focusing on the explosive booby traps they created. Guide to viet cong boobytraps and mines delta press.
I had been out of the marines two years married and experienced the birth of my first child. Vietnam war booby traps land mines used by the viet cong book. During the war vietcong and nva soldiers became highly experienced in making deadly contraptions that were responsible for the deaths of a great number of american soldiers. Vietnam war a marine held a crude iron spike while he questioned a vietcong suspect about its use.
Vietcong improvised explosive mines and booby traps. Booby traps were used by the viet cong as nonexplosive land mines. Of these wounds, 2% came from punji stakes, the most infamous of all the booby traps employed by the vietnamese during the war. It was hundreds of miles of tunnels filled with booby traps and poisonous animals. Times have changed and as we have painfully learned the hard way in the middle east, booby traps are still used but employ current technology to enhance the effectiveness of. In the vietnam war, booby traps became a major weapon, their employment by the vietcong and the north vietnamese being so common that they had the practical effect of serving as offensive as well as defensive weapons. During the war vietcong and nva soldiers became highly experienced in making deadly contraptions that were responsible for the deaths of a great number of. Professionalknowledgegained fromoperationalexperiencein vietnam,1969, specialissue, minesandboobytraps u.
Vietnamese guide shows booby traps used in vietnam war the war in vietnam was especially brutal for both sides. Unless the reader is interested in learning 50 year old doctrinal principles regarding the emplacement and neutralizing booby traps, there is no reason to read this book. Signs were my favorite type generally little signs, painted white that say tu dia placed next to. It is enthusiastically recommended to all junior offi. They also contain underground caverns where we can hide if the us troops arrive. Wolfie the grunt takes 8mm movies of a combat assault in vietnam.
The information contained in this book is intended to make each marine aware of. Viet cong boobytraps, mines and mine warfare techniques united states army on. The vietcong were the military branch of the national liberation front nlf. One of the ways they did that was by using creative methods to rig booby traps to injure or kill u. How effective and deadly were booby traps used by the. They also made holes in the ground with poisoned spikes in them for their booby traps. The viet cong and north vietnamese for the most part didnt have the powerful heavy weapons, helicopters, highaltitude bombers and tanks that the americans had. Lacking the firepower of the american forces, the vietcong used ambushes, booby traps, and other guerrilla tactics. The 5 most horrifying booby traps in the history of war. Facts about vietcong weapons, traps and tactics susan wong. The best homemade booby traps for you to build by the end of this guide, you will have learned about the most effective homemade booby traps there are and how you can build them. The use of punji traps in the vietnam war duration. Relying on their senses of touch and hearing, they used their fingertips to search for booby traps in pitch black darkness.
The tunnel rats, a unique fighting force, were careful to use nothing that would dull their senses, not drugs, not even chewing gum or aftershave cologne. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Troops nicknamed tunnel rats cleared vc and nva tunnels for enemy soldiers and booby traps. They were used as secret resupply routes and staging areas by communist insurgents. Why the viet congs tunnels were so effective in vietnam.
But you dont get to run away from booby traps in reality, because the kind of person who builds them is, generally speaking, trying to kill you. Click download or read online button to get viet cong book now. Dec, 2014 when we say booby trap, chances are you either a imagine indiana jones running, jumping, and dodging through a hail of poisoned arrows, or b snicker like a schoolboy because we just said booby. Main force vietcong units and regional forces were fulltime soldiers.
A concise and well rounded volume that describes and illustrates nearly 25 different viet cong boobytraps and explosive devices including mudball mine and cartridge trap, as well as demolitions, fuses and firing devices plus countermeasures how to detect a marked mine and emergency handling guidance for explosive devices detection, outdoor search techniques, disarming methods. More than one out of ten american battlefield casualties in vietnam was the result of. Some of these booby traps are quite complicated and could take a long time to set up. Written by a multitude of marines during the vietnam war, this volume. Frequently at least part of the device is improvised from standard ordnance, such as an artillery shell, grenade, or high explosive. His idea of studying was with red ink pen, underlining and margin commentary. Thus booby trap design is widely varied, with traps or their trigger mechanisms often hidden. Countless nonexplosive booby traps are used by charlie, as they serve for the same purpose as antipersonnelmines or antitank mines.
Nlf and pavn battle tactics comprised a flexible mix of guerrilla and conventional warfare battle tactics used by the main force of the peoples liberation armed forces known as the national liberation front or viet cong in the west and the nva peoples armyvietnam to defeat their u. Viet cong boobytraps, mines and mine warfare techniques. The widely used booby traps were cheap to make, from items such as sharpened bamboo sticks. Soldiers in these armies extensively booby trapped their supply caches, known routes of communications, and approaches to hidden. A cartridge trap is a type of booby trap devised by the viet cong and subsequently used against american and other anticommunist forces supporting south vietnam during the vietnam war. The mine sweepers had preceded us and it was nice n. Sep 14, 20 booby traps evidencedetails the vietcong used booby traps in order to injure the american soldiers, which would intern bring down more than one man, as the injured man would have to be carried to safety. But you dont get to run away from booby traps in reality, because the kind of person who builds them is, generally speaking, trying to kill you, not supply a narratively compelling escape scene. However, their psychological effect was also disabling. In all, at least 45,000 vietnamese men and women are said to have died defending the cu chi tunnels over the course of the vietnam war. Not only did the american soldiers have to be on the constant lookout for nonuniformed north vietnamese soldiers and viet cong, but they had to worry that with each step they took, they may end up in a hole. What distinguishes a booby trap is that its activation is intended to be unexpected to its victim. They still injured the victim and added to the stress of the war.
The vietcong, following the example of chinese guerillas before them, had always given the highest priority to creating safe base areas. Counting us forces alone, there were over 300,000 wounded in vietnam. A booby trap is a device or setup that is intended to kill, harm or surprise a person. Signs were my favorite type generally little signs, painted white that say tu dia placed next to the traps.
This articles author makes some research just before write this book. Depending on the resources of the area for the type of tags, markings and even signs. Professionalknowledgegained fromoperationalexperiencein. Jun 21, 2009 facts about vietcong weapons, traps and tactics the vietcong were the national liberation fronts military branch and they were commanded by the central office for south vietnam.
It is a very simple trap, made from four main components. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your first box. Written by a multitude of marines during the vietnam war, this volume is an excellent compendium of lessons to be learned from the marine corps experience in 1969. Booby traps booby traps were commonly used by the vietcong as an easy cheap way to. Booby trap markers were commonly used so that the vietcong could make sure they. These bamboos had been sharpened and fire hardened and they were sharp enough to penetrate. Booby traps evidencedetails the vietcong used booby traps in order to injure the american soldiers, which would intern bring down more than one man, as the injured man would have to be carried to safety. The concept of nonexplosive man traps is antique, but, in every sense, frighteningly efficient.
Min bay do viet cong mines and booby traps used by the viet. What were the booby traps set by veitcong in the vietnam. A concise and well rounded volume that describes and illustrates nearly 25 different viet cong boobytraps and explosive devices including mudball mine. It is part of a highly effective booby trap which is used in south vietnam. How good were the vietcong as fighters during the vietnam war. Weapons, tricks and booby traps used by the viet cong. What were the booby traps set by veitcong in the vietnam war. It provides the kind of information useful to my generation, a vietnam vet. Factoryproduced boobytraps dirty trick devices are described. Viet cong boobytraps, mines and mine warfare techniques by.
During the vietnam war, the viet cong vc main forces and north vietnamese army nva were forced to hide weapons and supplies underground and to dig protective shelters to counter massive us firepower. It derives its name from the fact that the wounding component of the trap is a small arms cartridge. May 15, 2008 what was your favorite book growing up. Vietcong opens up pressuretype device made of bamboo. Booby traps booby traps were commonly used by the vietcong as an easy cheap way to inflict wounds and casualties. Booby traps can also be applied as defensive weapons against unwelcome guests or against nonmilitary trespassers, and some people set up traps in their homes to keep people from entering. Booby traps in the vietnam war cherrieswriter vietnam. So when you make sure to read this book you can get a lot of profit. One morning a fellow grunt and i walked out the road from fsb liz to the red ball highway 1. How effective were the vietcong tactics of booby traps and. Jan 20, 2016 as if the vietnam conflict wasnt rough enough, here are 5 intense booby traps used by the viet cong in the jungles of vietnam. And then there are these folks, who stepped way over the. Some of these holes were filled with stakes that were made from bamboo.
Booby trapsranging from punji stakes to an assortment of grenades, mines, and explosive deviceswere a common part of the vietnam war, mainly because of the guerrilla nature of the conflict. Any infolinks to booby traps in the vietnam war would be greatly appreciated too, very interesting topic. They organized a new guerrilla army of south vietnamese communists, which became known as the vietcong. Their field works defended villages, hidden base camps, and fortified complexes, and took the form of trench systems, individual fighting positions, crewserved weapon positions, bunkers. Twostep charlie was the nickname for several of the snakes in the jungles of vietnam. Booby trap 2840 hammondville rd, pompano beach, florida 33069 rated 4. That means about 45,000 men were injured by booby traps. And 5, unlike most mines, many of the viet congs booby traps were made from bamboo mine detectors couldnt locate them. They were training grounds, logistics centers and headquarters.
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