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Siege tunnels for undermining enemy fortresses and making the walls crumble seem to be a very ancient military art all over the world. The countermeasure was to digg tunnels and fight the advancing enemy underground. Sometimes the tunnels collapsed and the enemies were buried alive.
'''Tunnel war''' or '''tunnel warfare''' (地道战) is a [[guerilla]] tactic first used by the Chinese in the [[Sino-Japanese war]].▼
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. Romain 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.
== Tunnel war usage during Sino-Japanese war ==▼
During the [[Sino-Japanese war]], the [[Chinese communists|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.▼
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.
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 [[battle of Verdun|Verdun]] you 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 the [[Alps|Alpine]] [[glacier]]s a war of digging surprise tunnels for ambush and explosives was developed. Enemy strongholds were destroyed by turning them into [[avalance]]s.
The lessons of these battles led to the construction of even bigger systems of defence underground, like the [[Maginot line]] or the [[Westwall]].
▲The term '''
▲== Tunnel war usage during Sino-Japanese war ==
▲During the [[Sino-Japanese war]], the [[Chinese communists|Chinese Communist forces]] or local peasant resistance used
However, the main disadvantages of
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.
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