FILMAKERS LIBRARY
20th Century History
A World Beneath the War:
The Secret Tunnels of Vietnam
Produced and directed by Janet Gardner
Associate Producer, Pham Thai
Narrated by Marlene Sanders
In 1965, the villagers of one district of Central Vietnam found themselves
on the frontlines of an increasingly brutal war. For these villagers, the war
became a struggle for survival. They would choose a remarkable course of action.
Rather than flee their ancestral village, they dug a series of tunnels and moved
their entire communities underground. Through the personal stories of tunnelers,
as well as one American former P.O.W. held in the tunnels, we are transported
into this subterranean world.
Rare archival footage, much of which has never been seen in the West, reveals
miles of catacombs where as many as 2,000 people took shelter. We follow an
artist who takes his son back to Vinh Moc village, and explains how markets,
theaters, hospitals, and schools were created in those war years. An American
Air Force historian gives his perspective. This extraordinary film contains
a capsule history of the war, a war which the Vietnamese call "The American
War."
"An excellent tool for history teachers. Shows how a technological superpower
could be soundly defeated by an intrepid nation of barefoot peasants. Highly
recommended." Video Librarian
"An intriguing perspective on history." Booklist
American Anthropological Association, 1998
Silver Apple, National Educational Film & Video Festival, 1997
Association for Asian Studies, 1997
53 min. Video or DVD. Sale $295. Video rental $75.
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