July 28, 1954, dien bien phu under the guard of communist viet minh troops, french and vietnamese prisoners of war march from the battlefields of dien bien phu. The viet minh victory in this battle effectively ended the eightyearold war. The decisive battle of the west was supplanted by the insurgency model of mao. The battle of dien bien phu, 1954 a picture from the. Bien phu was a symbol throughout the world that small guerrilla forces like the viet minh could turn away even the largest of imperial powers. Supported by air drops of largely american supplies and equipment, including m24 chaffee light tanks dropped in parts and reassembled on the ground, the soldiers were to draw the communists into a battle that would, in theory, defeat the viet. The battle of dien bien phu there is a book in the kinsley kansas library called the 20 most decisive battles in world history, or it might be called the 20 most decisive battles in vietnam. Battle of dien bien phu french foreign legion information. Bien phu marked the end of the first indochinese war and left the french decimated and embarrassed. Then it was on to dien bien phu in north west vietnam close to the laos border i took the flight option which was relatively cheap and a 1 hour flight beats 14 hours in a bus over terrible roads any day.
John keegan does a masterful job of explaining the battle of dien bien phu. The time and date were carefully chosenthe hour allowed the artillery to fire in daylight, and the date was chosen because it was a. It marked the end of the first indochina war, the partition of vietnam into communist and noncommunist zones, and the beginning of american involvement that led to our own vietnam war. On may 7, 1954, where did a french force fall to the vietminh. Google around and at least read the articles on dbp by robert seals part of his book. The battle of dien bien phu is seen as the decisive battle of the first indochina war between french troops and the viet minh league for the independence of vietnam, a nationalist, prosoviet union movement of ho chi minh. The fall of dien bien phu 59 years gone by and still forgotten dien bien phu today it was an epic battle in a tragic war and most people neither know or care what happened in the valley where a small border post named dien bien phu became synonymous with forgotten sacrifice. Information agency correspondent visited the isolated fre.
After french forces occupied the dien bien phu valley in late. Hell in a very small place the battle of dien bien phu. On this day in 1954, the french garrison at dein bien phu was overrun. Not only did it demonstrate a high level of overconfidence on behalf of a french general in vietnam, but the huge pile of complete fuckuppidness resulted in the americans later getting involved, and we all know how that turned out. Complete with detailed accounts, maps, and photos, giaps memoirs depicts concretely how a small and weak nation can overcome a stronger force. Dien bien phu by john keegan meet your next favorite book. Stanley karnow, pulitzerprizewinning author of vietnam. A brief history of the battle of dien bien phu section 117. On march, 1954, the battle of dien bien phu began during the first indochina war as communist forces attacked french troops, who were defeated. The battle of dien bien phu began in 1953, when general navarre fortified the valley of dien bien phu, which lay in.
Battle of dien bien phu, the decisive engagement in the first indochina war 194654. But coming as it did so soon after an inconclusive conflict in korea, there was not much political will in the congress for yet another foreign entanglement. This place is great, much quieter and the people are incredibly friendly. It was in the surrounding countryside here, on 7 may 1954, that the french colonial forces were defeated by the viet minh in a decisive battle, and the days of their indochina empire became numbered. The battle of dien bien phu introduction in 1954, ho.
In 1954, french forces in french indochina sought to cut the viet minhs supply lines to laos. This large book reminds this reader of great american novels of sweep and scope by. Dien bien phu was a bizarre battle the french had an idea that they would establish a forward base on the laotian border, to use to attack viet minh guerrillas in the hinterlands. Dien bien phu and the crisis of francoamerican relations, 19541955 america in the modern world by lawrence s. One of the largest postcolonial battles anywhere in the world, it ranks with the battle of vertieres in haiti in terms of a disastrous loss of a former colony for france. The battle of dien bien phu was one of the most influential battles in military history. We still live in an early work by the dean of military historians.
The base was wellfortified and defended by crack troops, but it could only be reached by air. Supported by artillery and the remaining tanks, french forces did indeed recapture the position on 11. Battle of dien bien phu dien bien phu battlefield the. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. The french defeat at dien bien phu in 1954 signalled the end of french influence in indochina. Whatever is true, i am amazed that i was personally involved with two of these battles in my relative short military career. The battle fought around dien bien phu was the last major campaign by a european state in the region. In november, 1953 thousands of french paratroopers dropped into the valley of dien bien phu in northwestern indochina.
The vietnamese viewpoint of dien bien phu supplies some much needed balance to the accounts of the battle written by western soldiers and historians. Dien bien phu is a classic in all the best, juiciest ways. The vietminh won the battle of dien bien phu due to their advantages in topography and terrain, logistics, artillery and antiaircraft capabilities and political will. Dien bien phu travel northwest vietnam, vietnam lonely. French prisoners from dien bien phu first indochina war. Instead, general vo nguyen giap, one of the great guerrilla generals, had his viet minh forces besieged the valley base, trapping the french defenders in a brutal.
The vietnamese victory at dien bien phu in may 1954, with the killing or capturing of over 16,000 enemy forces, sealed the defeat of french colonialism in indochina. Dien bien phu, in 1954, was the great climactic battle in french indochina that led to the defeat of the french colonial regime by the viet minh. This major confrontation occurred at dien bien phu, a large heartshaped valley located in northwestern part of vietnam, near the border with laos. The 1954 battle of dien bien phu marked the fall of french indochina. Some travel agents will not book this for you and you may have to book.
The battle of dien bien phu was a climactic confrontation of the first indochina war that took. Battle of dien bien phu battle of dien bien phu part of the first indochina war french union paratroops dropping from an united states air forcelent flying boxcar. Dien bien phu is the definitive account of the great, climactic battle in french indochina that led to the american commitment to vietnam. The fighting for huguette6 was rekindled as well and it went on until 23. The battle of dien bien phu was fought from march to may 7, 1954, and was the decisive engagement of the first indochina war 19461954, the precursor to the vietnam war. Battle of dien bien phu begins 1954 today in history. The battle of dien bien phuended may 7,1954, after a 56day siege that. The origins of dien bien phu go back to the mid to late 19th century when france invaded, colonized and ultimately annexed vietnam, cambodia and laos into what would become. However, vietminh forces invaded and the french fell. After january 1954 she was on the flights that evacuated casualties from the battle of dien bien phu. On may 7, 1954, the frenchheld garrison at dien bien phu in vietnam fell after a four month siege led by vietnamese nationalist ho chi minh. In 1954, the viet minh army, under general vo nguyen giap, moved against dien bien phu and in march encircled it with 40,000 communist troops and heavy artillery.
One 2018 book refers to aerial supply that the french needed to fly in 36000. The epic battle america forgot history of war new ed by howard r. Dien bien phu sealed the fate of the french in indochina and forced paris to abandon the pursuit of colonial interests. At that point, the situation of the dien bien phu base became critical. The viet minh briefly captured huguette 7, only to be pushed back by a. See all 1 dien bien phu museum tours on tripadvisor. Sixty years ago this week, french troops were defeated by the vietnamese at dien bien phu after the us secretary of state appeared to offer them two abombs. Dien ben phu article about dien ben phu by the free. For more information on battle of dien bien phu, visit.
No american is better qualified to tell the tale of dien bien phu and its significance than howard simpson. The battle of dien bien phu was the penultimate engagement of the indochina war in which vietnam, and ultimately laos and cambodia, gained their independence from the frence. First a torch by richard baker vietnam veterans of america. Dien bien phu battle in dien bien phu, vietnam in may, 1954french helicopter shot down near muong thanh. Dien bien phu goodreads meet your next favorite book. Dien bien phu battle in dien bien phu, vietnam in may. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. French military tried to occupy dien bien phu to interfere with vietminh supply lines. The battle of dien bien phu, 1954 a picture from the past. The first indochina war, 19461954 cold war, anthony tuckerjones. The battle of dien bien phu 19531954, stresses the author, was one of the modern eras most decisive confrontations. Dien bien phu was the site of a major french defeat 1954 in the first.
1440 1379 1132 728 534 30 960 298 881 784 309 305 1361 327 825 742 1103 594 552 1073 92 881 1503 939 917 1240 1394 1203 1460 387 622 1018 364 674 1121 323 796 414 671