Battle of dien bien phu, the decisive engagement in the first indochina war 194654. It was the scene in 1954 of the last gre battle of the spurs, battle of the spurs battle of the spurs. Victory of dien bien phu campaign immortal epic of vietnam. The battle of dien bien phu was a climactic confrontation of the first indochina war that took. A historian of the ottoman empire and modern turkey, he is a publisher of popular history, a podcaster, and online course creator.
Stanley karnow, pulitzerprizewinning author of vietnam. How dien bien phu led to americas war in vietnam in the trenches in 1953, a hard fought battle between french and vietnamese forces finished off. Survivors, politicians and historians explain how the horrors of a 56day. 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. Survivors, politicians and historians explain how the horrors of a 56day siege ended with the french. The battle of dien bien phu was a battle in the 1st indochina war between the viet minh and the french colonial forces. The ground turned to mud once the monsoon began, and men clung to craters and ditches in conditions reminiscent of the. Book your tickets online for the top things to do in dien bien phu, vietnam on tripadvisor. Remembering vietnams battle of dien bien phu on this day in 1954, an epic battle ended in vietnam. 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.
Officers of the 1er bep during a celebration at the camp, several weeks before the battle started. Viet minh soldiers assault french positions at muong thanh airport during the battle of dien bien phu in april 1954. Bien phu marked the end of the first indochinese war and left the french decimated and embarrassed. An epic battle, forgotten this masterpiece is an incredible find for the serious nonfiction, military reader. The village was in a valley approximately 16 km long by 9 km wide. Dien bien phu, the climactic battle between french and vietnamese communist forces called the vietminh after world war two, took place at the town of dien bien in northwestern vietnam.
Prime minister winston churchill and foreign security anthony eden refused, but agreed. The vietnamese viewpoint of dien bien phu supplies some much needed balance to the accounts of the battle written by western soldiers and historians. Good books on the subject include the last valley by martin windrow, hell in a very small place by bernard fall. Bbc world service the documentary, the siege of dien bien phu. To and forced marched to dien bien phu followed closely by the 304th, 316th and the heavy division. Battle for dien bien phu shows how the vietminh used lowtech methods to get the upper hand over the french.
This is one of the bloodiest, most horrific battles ive read about to date. Simpson, 9780028810478, available at book depository with free delivery. Had heard about the battle of dien bien phu when i was in the marine corps. The battle of dienbienphu by roy, jules, 1907publication date 1984 topics dien bien phu, battle of, ien bien phu, vietnam, 1954.
The viet minh victory in this battle effectively ended the eightyearold war. Operation castor was a french airborne operation in the first indochina war. May 07, 2014 dien bien phu was the first time that a noneuropean colonial independence movement had evolved through all the stages from guerrilla bands to a conventionally organized and equipped army able to defeat a modern western occupier in a pitched battle, wrote british historian martin windrow, the author of the last valley. The showdown to a sevenyear guerrilla war came in 1954 at the battle of dien bien phu.
Only the 320 th division was not engaged in thai country out of the whole vietminh order of battle and it seems that the decision to have this as the main engagement was made in january. It lies approximately 300 kilometers due west from hanoi and roughly 160 kilometers east from the present day border of laos. The french defeat at dien bien phu was a game changer, ending french colonial rule in southeast. John foster dulles on the fall of dien bien phu 1954 guerre dindochine duration. An illustration of a computer application window wayback machine an illustration of an open book. In 1954, french forces in french indochina sought to cut the viet minhs supply lines to laos. The battle resulted in a shameful loss for the french and was one of the worst military disasters for the french of all time.
Dien bien phu is a wargame covering the decisive battle of the first indochina war in which elite french expeditionary force units defended an airland base against the communist viet minh. Battle of dien bien phu dien bien phu battlefield the. Dien bien phu was the first time that a noneuropean colonial independence movement had evolved through all the stages from guerrilla bands to a conventionally organized and equipped army able to defeat a modern western occupier in a pitched battle, wrote british historian martin windrow, the author of the last valley. The operation established a fortified airhead in di. It consisted of a struggle between french and viet minh vietnamese communist and nationalist forces for control of a small mountain outpost on the vietnamese border near laos. 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.
The viet minh defeated the french at dien bien phu in a setpiece battle which, in essence, amounted to beating the french at their own game. In the center, major maurice guiraud, then battalion commander. How dien bien phu led to americas war in vietnam in the trenches in 1953, a hard fought battle between french and vietnamese forces finished off france as a colonial power and eerily presaged. I had known for some time that an epic stand had taken place in the hills of north vietnam in 1954 by the. Dien bien phu is a subject of special importance and has a literature all its own. The victory of the vietnamese precipitated the collapse of french colonial rule in indochina and forever redefined the perception of what nonconventional armies could accomplish. Did the seige at dien bien phu became the single event that catapulted america fully into the vietnam conflict. Dien bien phu is the definitive account of the great, climactic battle in french indochina that led to the american commitment to vietnam. Selfless bravery, and shameful cowardice are vividly chronichled in dr. Causes and consequences of the battle of dien bien phu essay. The french paras demonstrated exemplary camaraderie in the face of death and perceived abandonment, living in the mud and blood of the fallen, enduring the most inconceivable hardships while struggling to defend against the vietminh. Photos some additional photos to document the battle.
Battle of dien bien phu question i found this photo of french paras on the tarmac pre jump. They used the ho chi minh trail under jungle cover to shuttle soldiers and weapons to the french stronghold. Bernard fall is an important contributor here too, and his book hell in a very small place newyork. I was to find out the reason was fear of mine fields.
Dien bien phu, vietnamforty years ago, men fought, bled and died here in an epic battle that changed the course of recent world history over the years the trenches and bomb craters have given way to the gentleness of the land, save for some battle sites with small decaying stone memorials that hint at the events that took place. Battle for dien bien phu 1986 foreign policy blogs. Henri navarre assumed command in vietnam in may 1953, french forces in indochina were on the defensive. This major confrontation occurred at dien bien phu, a large heartshaped valley located in northwestern part of vietnam, near the border with laos. For those interested in the french campaign in indochina it has much to teach us. Jun 01, 2018 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. In 1997, the local cong anh security followed me around, at that time few tourists went to dien bien phu but i noticed by day 3 of my 10 day battle field trek that they no longer tailed me. 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.
The battle of dien bien phu ranks with agincourt, waterloo, and gettysburg as one of the great military engagements of history. Several books on this battle that i have read over the past two years are well researched, secondhand accounts. Battle of dien bien phu question gunboards dot com. In may, after the united states refused to intervene, dien bien phu fell to the communists. Devising a plan, he would lure the enemy into a conventional battle, where french. The battle of dien bien phu began in 1953, when general navarre fortified the valley of dien bien phu, which lay in an isolated corner of northwestern vietnam. That battle, the battle of dien bien phu, occurred four months after operation castor. The history guy remembers how decolonization led to proxy war and the battle of dien bien phu in what is now known as vietnam. Lippincott, 1966 remains an important account, along with jules roys the battle of dien bien phu new york. This major confrontation occurred at dien bien phu, a large heartshaped valley located in northwestern part of vietnam. Sep 29, 2017 the history guy remembers how decolonization led to proxy war and the battle of dien bien phu in what is now known as vietnam.
Causes and consequences of the battle of dien bien phu. The geopolitical significance of the battle of dien bien phu is well. 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. Her testimony indicated the viet minh was able to anticipat read more. The movie uses footage from the vietminh perspective and many survivors of dien bien phu are interviewed. I had known for some time that an epic stand had taken place in the hills of north vietnam in 1954 by the french, who at the time occupied the country. He would become the last commander 196061 of the 1er rep, dissolved due. Battle of dien bien phu french foreign legion information. May 05, 2014 the last weeks of the battle of dien bien phu were atrociously gruelling. It was fought between the french unions french far east expeditionary corps and viet minh communist. The urgency of providing more security to the supply effort had brought french air. Only the 320 th division was not engaged in thai country out of the whole vietminh order of battle and it seems that the decision to have this.
The game covers the critical period of viet minh assaults and french counterattacks of march to may, 1954. The battle of dien bien phu was the biggest and most ferocious battle that took place during the french indochina war. The episode discusses and presents historical photographs and film. For 55 days, 0 men of the french forces battled against nearly 50000 viet minh guerrillas. It was, from the french view before the event, a set piece battle to draw out the vietnamese and. The historic victory of dien bien phu campaign is an immortal epic of vietnam derived from the wise leadership of the communist party of vietnam, president ho chi minh, general vo nguyen giap and the strength of national unity and the determination to fight for independence and freedom of vietnamese people. Apr 01, 2005 the battle of dien bien phu ranks with agincourt, waterloo, and gettysburg as one of the great military engagements of history. The 15 best things to do in dien bien phu 2020 with. The epic battle america forgot history of war ebook. The epic battle america forgot geography dienbienphu, is a small crossroads village in the northwestern corner of what is today vietnam. The last weeks of the battle of dien bien phu were atrociously gruelling. The federal republic of germany and the first indochina war 19461954 pdf phd. Historically, the viet minh won the battle, overrunning the base. Howard simpsons dien bien phu the epic battle america forgot may actually be the best book for americans to understand the significance of the french disaster.