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Tunnel warfare is a type of warfare that occurs in tunnels. It can be sometimes linked with urban warfare, as tunnels are often found in urban area and cities, although urban warfare as a whole usually dominates any tunnel considerations. Tunnels can be used to undermine fortifications and slip into territory, while it can strengthen a defense by creating the possibility of ambush, counterattack and the ability to transfer troops from one portion of the battleground to another unseen and protected.
Tunnels, due to their nature, restrict fields of fire and thus an army in a tunnel usually only has a few exposed areas at one particular time, but can be part of extensive labyrinth, have cul-de-sacs as well as reduced lighting that can create a night environment.
Tunnel wars in ancient warfare
Siege tunnels for undermining enemy fortresses and making the walls crumble seem to be a very ancient military art all over the world. A famous siege tunnel made the walls of Kazan crumble and the Russians could take it. The countermeasure was to dig tunnels and fight the advancing enemy underground. Sometimes the tunnels collapsed and both enemies were buried alive.
The oldest known sources about employing tunnels and trenches for guerillalike warfare are delivered from the Romans. After the uprising in Germania the insurgent tribes soon started to change defence from only local strongholds into using advantages of larger terrains. Hidden trenches to assemble for surprise attacks were dug, connected via tunnels for secure fallback. In action often barriers were used to enable the enemy from formation. Roman legions entering the country soon learned to fear this warfare, the ambushing of marching columns demanded high casualties. Therefore they approached possibly fortified areas very carefully, giving time to evacuate, assemble troops and organize them. When the Romans were themselves on the defensive the large underground aqueduct system was utilised in the defense of Rome, as well as to evacuate fleeing leaders.
Throughout the Middle Ages kilometers of tunnels were dug all across the world. Often they connected fortifications, towns, villages, religious and political buildings. They were used for supply, communication and as escape routes.
Modern warfare
Increased firepower with the use of gunpowder, cordite and dynamite made fortifications above the ground very expensive if they should withhold any attack. Fortifications were covered with earth and finally they were built totally underground to protect crews and ammunition. For attack artillery and machine guns had loopholes. In Verdun one can still visit some of these fortresses. Such a tunnel fortress was difficult to enter and inside there was no room for the attackers to hide from gunfire and explosives. On the other hand war gas proved to have a devastating effect.
In trench warfare with heavily fortified strongholds, the tactic of digging and undermining the enemy positions was reportedly used in the American Civil War and World War I. Underground attacks especially broke the morale of the enemy if he was surprised in his secure positions. During World War II, as more cities adopted rapid transit the tunnels created became another military consideration.
The lessons of these battles led to the construction of even bigger systems of defence underground, like the Maginot line or the Westwall with their own infrastructures.
North Korea has been convicted of preparing several transport tunnels with a capacity 10,000 troops per hour for a possible invasion of South Korea. This melds the defensive tunnel warfare with mobile warfare.
The term tunnel war or tunnel warfare (地道战) was first used for the guerilla tactic employed by the Chinese in the Second Sino-Japanese War. The tunnel systems were fast and easy to construct and enabled a small force to fight successfully supreme enemies.
Tunnel war usage during Sino-Japanese war
During the Sino-Japanese war, the Chinese Communist forces or local peasant resistance used tunnel war tactics against the Japanese (and later Kuomingtang during Chinese Civil War). The tunnels are dug beneath the earth similar to a mole that cover the battlefield with numerous hidden gun holes to make a surprise attack, the basic tactics that were used against the Japanese were hit and run tactics. The holes and entrance usually are hidden beneath a straw mat inside a house, or down on a well. This allows flexible manouver or exit.
However, the main disadvantages of tunnel war is that usually the Japanese can fill up the holes or pour water in to suffocate the resistance fighter inside the tunnels. However, despite the danger of being buried alive, the advantage of tunnel war tactic has proven useful numerous times in slowing down the enemies and sapping their strength. It is said that there were even women and children who voluntarily fought in the tunnels.
During Sino-Japanese war and Chinese civil war, the villagers in Ranzhuang village had fought against their enemies in more than 150 battles. Because of their great achievements, the village was honored as the "Model Village Resisting the Japanese Invaders" by the present day PRC government.
Later usage of tunnel war
The first to copy tunnel warfare were the Japanese themselves. In the battles of the Western Pacific they would maximise their capabilities by establishing a strong point defense, utilizing cave warfare. The first encounter of the US Marines with this new tactic was the island of Peleliu. The invading marines suffered twice as many casualties as on Tarawa, where the old Japanese tactic of defending the beach had been employed.
In the Korean War the tactic of tunnel warfare was employed by the PRC voluntary forces themselves. "The Chinese resort to tunnel warfare, and the devastating losses to American soldiers, led to the sealing of tunnel entraces by United Nations Command. According to later prisoner of war interrogations, Chinese officers had killed a number of their own soldiers in the tunnels, because the later had wished to dig their way out and surrender to the United Nations Command." (Major Allen D.Reece)
Viet Cong copied the tactic during the Vietnam War against the US and their Southern Vietnamese allies and added some new developments. Systems of tunnels were not occupied temporarily for military purpose, but began to contain whole villages of people living permanently underground. An infrastructure of communication, supplylines, hospitals and for manoeuvering was established. These tactics were even applied against the Chinese during the Sino-Vietnamese War.
Tunnel war in Palestine
Sometimes the ongoing conflict between Israeli Army and smugglers under the boarder of Gaza is called tunnel war. Reports state that in in the Palestinean camps tunnels are used to sneak into areas the Israeli Army has already secured.
Famous tunnel war victories
- Ranzhuang in Hebei
- Jiaozhuanghu(焦庄户) village that defeated the Japanese Army (later made into the propaganda movie Didao Zhan by the PRC)
See also
External links
"Tunnel warfare"