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Minggu, 20 November 2011

Lubang Jepang

Japanese Tunnel - Japanese Caves

History


 
1942tunnel system built.
1945Japanese left after the war.
1954tunnels discovered.
2004part of the tunnels closed

Description

The Lubang Jepang (Japanese Tunnel) is, according to legend, a remains of a 1.4km long tunnel built by the Japanese in World War II to conquer Fort de Kock. The city Bukittinggi (high hill) is located in the Minangkabau highlands, close to the volcanoes Mount Singgalang and Mount Marapi. It was built along the Ngarai Sianok (Sianok Canyon) and offers beautiful views into the canyon. during colonial times the Dutch established an outpost here in 1825 during the Padri War. Fort de Kock was founded by Captain Bauer at the top of Jirek hill and later named after the Lieutenant Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, Hendrik Merkus de Kock.
Actually it was not necessary to built a tunnel to conquer the fort, the technology of the fort was useless against the weapons of World War II, it was only a relic at that time. The city had a big importance because of its strategic situation in the middle of the island of Sumatra. In March 1942 the Japanese under General Watanabe seized the city from the Dutch Government hands. They created their Army Defense Command Center here underground, safe from Allied air raids.. The complex included ammunition storage, barracks, dining hall, hospital, courtroom and kitchen. The tunnels belonging to the underground bunkers have a total length of some 5,000m. About 1,400m belong to the Defence Command, most of them are restored and equipped with electric light.
The Lubang Jepang tunnel system was built by Romusa, Indonesian prisoners of war and other prisoners which were forced to work. A lot of them were coal miners from Sawahlunto. Many of the workers from Java and Sumatra died during the construction, and all surviving workers were killed and buried in one passage they had built before, to keep the tunnels secret. It worked, and the bunker was secret until after the war. And until today it is unknown when the tunnels were actually started and how long it took.
On the other hand it is most likely that the base was never fully completed. Although the tunnels were complete, it was never properly utilized. At the end the Japanese were short on almost anything. And with the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima on 07-JUL and 08-AUG-1945, the war ended. The Republic of Indonesia proclaimed its independence on 17-AUG-1945.
The visit is rather easy as the tunnels have been cleaned and paved, and there is electric light. However, the first thing is a steep staircase with 135 steps leading down 27m to the level of the horizontal passages. The passages are about 2m wide and 3m high. Some 700m are accessible, 700m more are closed since 2004. The bunker has three main doors and six emergency doors. The main door in the Panorama Park is used for the public tours, all others are closed. The other main doors are located at the road through Sianok Canyon and at the Bung Hatta Palace (Triarga Building). 

cr : http://www.showcaves.com/

 

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