Over 56 days and nights, from March 13 to May 7, 1954, Vietnamese soldiers and citizens, through relentless courage and determination, overcame a barrage of bombs and bullets to shatter France’s Navarre Plan, bringing an end to French colonial rule in Vietnam. As we commemorate the 70th anniversary of this historic victory, let’s reflect on some of the pivotal moments.
In November 1953, French forces parachuted into Dien Bien Phu, setting up what was considered to be the strongest military outpost in Indochina with ambitions of expanding their colonial reach into Southeast Asia.
In December 1953, the Central Party Committee and President Ho Chi Minh initiated the Dien Bien Phu campaign, led by General Vo Nguyen Giap, with the objective of obliterating this bastion of colonialism.
The campaign officially began on March 13, 1954. Over five days of fierce combat, Vietnamese forces swiftly overran the Him Lam and Doc Lap strongholds, neutralizing 2,000 enemy soldiers and downing 12 aircraft.
On March 30, an attack was launched on the eastern hills of the central sector, resulting in 2,500 enemy casualties.
The momentum continued with a third offensive on May 1, overrunning the remaining eastern and western strongholds.
By May 4, the enemy deployed their last reserve parachute battalion into the fray at Dien Bien Phu. However, by May 7, General De Castries and his entire command were captured, culminating in a decisive victory for Vietnamese forces.
This victory not only concluded nine years of prolonged resistance against French colonialism but also significantly boosted the morale of oppressed nations worldwide, inspiring them to fight for independence.
It led to the signing of the Geneva Accords, ending the war and restoring peace in Indochina. The Dien Bien Phu Victory remains an undying epic of heroism in the era of Ho Chi Minh, a luminous, golden milestone in the annals of Vietnamese history./.
