Films about Tunnel Warfare in China

[roddy]

This came to me via email, but I'm posting it up here to see if anyone else can help. The previous discussion referred to is here. I'll add what I can below, but wanted to post it in case anyone had any more information.

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Hello,

I'm a French historian, specialist in the field of tunnel war. In France, also in Europe, I studied a lot of undergroud tunnel networks, used by rural farmers during medieval wars, during the Middle Ages.I wrote several books in this field. For more information you can visit the site http://prilep.club.fr (english pages)

The use of these undreground tunnels was probably exactly the same than in China during the W W 2. But it's, of course, impossible for us to obtain accounts.

So, I'm very interested in your forum Worl War 2 in China - tunnel war, where shibo77 (26th April 2004) spoke about Dia Dao and about some movies dealing with this subject. I would appreciate to obtain all relevant information, like how to buy a copy of theses movies.

Could you tranfer this mail to shibo77 or, if impossible, to other Chinese who could help me ?

Best regards from France

Jérôme Triolet

[roddy]

You can purchase 地雷战 - Mine Warfare - here

and 地道战 - Tunnel Warfare here. Both are on DVD, and both claim to have English subtitles.

Both films can be downloaded if you have the program eMule installed on your computer - the links are here and here, but those pages are in Chinese.

[javelindice]

There's also a museum dedicated to tunnel warfare on the outskirts of Beijing. All of the tunnels have been preserved along with tools, weapons, and all the other accessories of guerilla warfare.

I wrote a bit about my visit there in February: http://javelindice.iblog.com/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=14893

[trevelyan]

Some tunnels have been preserved (the whole town actually) in a small village near the city of Anping about 3-4 hours from Beijing. Visiting the site feels like walking back in time. And there is a small tourist industry there catering pretty much exclusively to local domestic visitors. The site has quite a few accounts of usage, models, etc., as well as an entire museum dedicated to tunnel warfare.

The tunnels in that town have been preserved, so that you can actually go in and physically clamber through them if you wish (the tunnels were reinforced with concrete and heightened as part of the preservation/tourism efforts). Lots of fun walking around underground only to pop-up in someone's hearth. Visiting the site might make a good vacation if you find the subject interesting. Just be careful to arrange for a translator -- since no-one in Anping really speaks any foreign languages.

[roddy]

Posting in a follow-up email.

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Hello,

Thanks a lot for the obtained information.

I bought the two films by yesasia.com and I received it. It's very very interesting for my.

I have 2 more questions, probably the lasts, about the wording "Dia Dao".

- Could you send to me the Chinese ideogram for writing Dia Dao in Chinese?

- Do you know the history of this wording "Dia Dao"? Is it a specific wording? With Chinese origins? Its use began during anti-Japanese war or before?

Thanks a lot

Best regards from France

[imron]

There is a mountain in Beidaihe not too far from where I live, which contains an underground bunker and tunnel network. It's been partly caved in (as it's no longer in use), but if you know where the entrances are, it sure is cool to have a walk around in. See attached pics.

[Shadowdh]

Ok so which one was you...??? Great pics too...

[imron]

The tall guy holding the Indiana Jones style torch.