Together with that historic triumph, a unique legacy was created right in the midst of the brutal battlefield: a collection of 33 issues of the People’s Army Newspaper (PAN) published from December 1953 to May 16, 1954. More than press materials, the collection is regarded as a vivid treasure of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, embodying profound historical, cultural, and educational values, as well as a distinctive archival significance.
“Living witness” to history
The annihilation of the Dien Bien Phu fortification, with the capture and elimination of all 16,200 French troops and auxiliaries, the most formidable force of the French military in Indochina, completely shattered the enemy’s will to continue the war of aggression.
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Visitors explore the collection of the PAN’s 33 issues published on the Dien Bien Phu battlefield, on display at the Vietnam Press Museum. (Photo courtesy of the Vietnam Press Museum) |
Facing a tightly interconnected defensive system, reinforced by heavy firepower and air support, Vietnamese forces mobilized four infantry divisions and one artillery-engineer division for the campaign, together with tens of thousands of conscripted laborers from Phu Tho and Thanh-Nghe-Tinh region to sustain the rear. Despite the shift in strategy from “fast attack, fast victory” to “steady attack, steady advance,” our troops maintained strict organization and discipline while devising effective combat tactics.
Amid those circumstances, the PAN’s war correspondents stayed close to the battlefield, promptly relaying developments, challenges, and advantages to the editorial office based in Tham Pua cave, while highlighting and encouraging exemplary individuals. Their articles truly became “living witnesses,” vividly capturing the historic campaign.
From a cultural perspective, the collection of 33 issues offers a vivid portrayal of the soldiers’ spiritual life, recreating the daily life and combat of “peasants in military uniform.” Through articles, posters, poems, and other forms, the issues underscore the country’s good traditions embodied by soldiers on battlefield. These values have helped shape the identity and spirit of Vietnam.
In terms of educational value, the collection plays an important role in imparting knowledge, traditions, and the qualities of the Vietnamese people.
The educational content of the 33 issues, first and foremost, aimed at promptly serving officers and soldiers on the Dien Bien Phu battlefield. It was not confined by age or profession, or by those inside or outside the military. Each theme, however, was tailored to specific target groups, with particular emphasis on historical and military knowledge.
In addition, the collection contributes to fostering strategic thinking and an understanding of military art, helping readers gain deeper insight into the sound leadership of the campaign command, especially the creative shift in tactics from “fast attack, fast victory” to “steady attack, steady advance.”
The issues also helped instill traditions of patriotism, solidarity, compassion, courage, creativity, and a spirit of self-reliance and resilience. These lessons not only had an immediate impact on soldiers and support forces at the Dien Bien Phu battlefield, but also carried enduring influence over time.
The articles further reflect the intellectual caliber and mettle of their authors, marked by sharp thinking, perceptiveness, and experience. Through their writing, the thoughts of troops, the intensity of fierce battles, and exemplary figures were vividly and convincingly portrayed.
Commemorative value, uniqueness, and enduring legacy
According to museum classification, the Dien Bien Phu battlefield historical site is categorized as an event memorial. Preserved artifacts recount to visitors the fierce combat and the daily life of Uncle Ho soldiers. The collection of 33 newspaper issues, meanwhile, constitutes a commemorative artifact and a treasured possession of the site, carrying exceptional memorial value. In particular, the content of these issues helps readers recall a glorious and heroic chapter in the history of the Vietnamese military.
The collection is a unique set of original documents, produced right on the battlefield, where the editorial office operated within range of enemy artillery. The newspaper provided timely updates on combat developments and reached soldiers directly in the trenches. Each issue had a limited print run, and wartime conditions made preservation extremely difficult; as a result, the 33 surviving issues are rare, one-of-a-kind materials of immense value.
Seventy-two years on, the resonance of the Dien Bien Phu Victory continues to echo in the hearts of millions around the world. That victory not only contributed to restoring peace in northern Vietnam in 1954, but also exerted a profound influence on national liberation movements in the decades that followed.
Within this historical current, the collection of the PAN’s 33 issues published on the Dien Bien Phu battlefield, once recognized as a national treasure, will stand as a remarkable milestone: a vivid testament to a historic victory and an enduring source of inspiration for researchers, journalists, and artists today and in the future.
By Chu Duc Tinh, former Director of the Ho Chi Minh Museum
Translated by Quynh Oanh