Dien Bien Phu, a resplendent victory of Vietnamese army and people

PANO – The Dien Bien Phu Victory is a “golden milestone” in the national history of building and defending the country, a great event marking the splendid victory of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh in the national resistance war against the French invaders (1945-1954).

General Vo Nguyen Giap and the General Staff discuss combat plans in Dien Bien Phu Campaign. Archived photo

At the beginning of the Winter 1953-Spring 1954 Operation, the Nava Plan, which started to be implemented, showed weaknesses and became upside-down when our forces used the tactics “to break off each stick” and at the same time forced the enemy to disperse their forces all over the Indo-China battlefield, in which Northwest was one of the key directions. Detecting our intent, French commanders decided to hold an urgent march on ground and by air to occupy the Dien Bien Phu valley. According to the enemy’s evaluation, Dien Bien Phu was important to not only the Indo-China battlefield, but also a major part of Southeast Asia. A communication route could link together the border areas of Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and China. It served as a turning table that could turn to Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and China in the four directions, and as a key to protecting Northern Laos.

Passively reacting against our military activities, both the French and Americans, however, agreed to build Dien Bien Phu into the strongest grouping of defensive bases in Indo-China, an inviolable fortress or a perfect porcupine, where the defensive system was organized in a modern manner. The peak number of enemy troops reached 16,200; moreover, numerous modern weapons and equipment were deployed in 49 entrenched fortifications of the three zones.

Logistics for the campaign. Archived photo

In the context, the Politburo on December 6^th, 1953 had a meeting to discuss and pass the combat plan made by the General Command, and decided to open the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, the largest strategic decisive battle between our forces and the French.

It could be said that the decision on the campaign attacking the enemy’s entrenched fortification grouping of Dien Bien Phu was our highest strategic resolve in the national resistance against the French colonists, aiming to defeat the enemy’s best effort and its latest modern of defensive line, leading to a new scale of force in the war in Indo-China.

At the beginning of the campaign, the Politburo decided to set up the Front Command and Party Committee chaired by General Vo Nguyen Giap, member of the Politburo, Commander-in-Chief of VPA. The Politburo also founded the Front Supply Council led by Pham Van Dong, member of the Politburo, Deputy Prime Minister.

General Vo Nguyen Giap reviewing the troops. Photo: VNA

From the end of November 1953, the preparations for the Dien Bien Phu Campaign were urgently made. The significance and importance of the campaign was reflected in President Ho Chi Minh’s instruction given to General Vo Nguyen Giap: “This is a very important campaign in both military and political terms; it bears great significance at home and abroad. Therefore, the whole army, entire people and Party must join force to accomplish the task at any price.”

As of the end of January 1954, our regular units arrived at the designated positions as planned, finished the battlefield organization and were ready to advance and strike the enemy on the initial principle “fighting fast, winning fast.”

However, the situation changed. The enemy reinforce troops to Dien Bien Phu. As a result, the Party Central Committee and President Ho Chi Minh gave the instruction “Fighting and ensuring victory. Under the instruction, the Front Command and Party Committee headed by General Vo Nguyen Giap changed from “Fighting fast, winning fast” to the principle “Fighting firmly, advancing firmly.” This should be viewed as a timely, correct policy, which suited the reality and current situation in the Dien Bien Phu Front.

Attacking major strongholds in Hill A1. Photo: VNA

After 56 days and nights from March 13th, 1954 to May 7^th bravely fighting the enemy and suffering hard living conditions, our troops and people put out of action 16,200 enemy troops, captured a great deal of weapons and equipment, shot down 62 aircraft, wiped out the French strongest grouping of entrenched fortifications in Indo-China. This as the largest and most typical offensive of the Vietnam People’s Army in the national resistance war against the French, contributing to bringing success to the Geneva Conference on peace restoration in Vietnam.

The historic Dien Bien Phu victory reflects creativity and uniqueness of the Vietnamese people’s warfare under the Ho Chi Minh times, strategic views of the General Central Military Commission, General Command, and resourcefulness, bravery, ingeniousness, unyieldingness of officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People’s Army. The victory deserves to enter national history like the historical victories of Bach Dang, Chi Lang, Dong Da as well as to be an entry of the world’s history as a splendid victory , in which the Vietnamese army and people damaged the fortified slavery system of colonialism and imperialism.

Written by Le Van Cu