They were mostly made out of bamboo (though sometimes metal) in varying lengths and width, and had a simple sharpened spike on one end to impale its victim. Punji sticks were the most infamous of the booby traps used, said to account for 2% of wounds to American soldiers. Here are eight of the most dangerous traps: 1. It’s estimated that approximately 11% of deaths and 15% of wounds to American soldiers were caused by booby traps and mines in the Vietnam War. Many were designed to maim instead of kill – not only did this mean other soldiers were required to remove their wounded colleagues which hampered operations, but it also meant the traps were a psychological weapon as word about them spread. Unlike mines, many of the booby traps laid were made from bamboo which could be hidden from mine detectors, and often worked on their own, meaning traps could be set ahead of time without the need for monitoring. Despite the superior firepower of the American military, the determination of the Viet Cong was exceptional, and they were experts in utilising their surroundings to create booby traps to hamper America’s ability to pursue them in a retreat.īooby traps were cheap and relatively simple to make, and the Viet Cong used them to devastating effect. The Viet Cong were the guerrilla force that, with the support of the North Vietnamese Army, fought against South Vietnam and its allies. The Vietnam War (1955-1975) effectively became a proxy Cold War battle over communism, with North Vietnam supported by the Soviet Union, China and other communist allies, and the South supported by America and anti-communist allies.
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