As australian and new zealand diplomats contemplated the repercussions of new us national security strategies during the early stages of the eisenhower administration, a communist offensive in north indochina threatened the french garrison at dien bien phu and raised questions about us involvement in southeast asia. The battle of dien bien phu in 1954 was the last major battle between the french expeditionary corps and the vietnamese guerrilla army, the viet minh. Like gettysburg, stalingrad, midway, and tet, the battle at dien bien phua strategic attack launched by france against the vietnamese in 1954 after eight long years of warmarked a historic turning point. On march 12, 1954, the day before vietnamese nationalist forces attacked the. Dien bien phu and the bitter taste the weary traveller. Bernard fall wrote that in comparison with other world battles, dien bien phu could hardly qualify as a major battle, let alone a decisive one. The siege of dien bien phu by bernard fall, bernard b. The french strategy of seeking to establish a fortified base across the. Although the vietnamese rapidly cut off all roads to the. The battle of dien bien phu ranks with agincourt, waterloo, and gettysburg as one of the great military engagements of history.
Street without joy indochina at war 19461954 bernard b. Build up story commemorating the fall of dien bien phu, made up from french library material. The ground turned to mud once the monsoon began, and men clung to craters and ditches in conditions reminiscent of the battle of verdun in 1916. Information agency correspondent visited the isolated fre. War, the savage eightyear conflict, ending in 1954 after the fall of dien bien phu, in which. Bernard fall on the battle of dien bien phu parallel. 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. Giap mobilised about 50000 combat troops to fight the french. At the end of 1953, the french settled in dien bien phu, a city in northwestern vietnam. The radio switched to sombre classical music, and theatres, cinemas, and restaurants closed when the news of the fall of dien bien phu reached france on may 7 1954. Fall had an unusual career as an academic who conducted field research by accompanying first french forces and later americans into combat in.
The battle of dien bien phu lasted months, but the fallout lasted decades. The battle of dien bien phuended may 7,1954, after a 56day siege that. The battle occurred between march and may 1954 and culminated in a. The siege occurred while the 1954 geneva conference was ironing out agreements between the. 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 known as french indochina. The battle of dien bien phu was the decisive engagement in the first indochina war 194654. Battle of dien bien phu 1954 military engagement in french colonial vietnam in which french forces were defeated by viet minh nationalists loyal to ho chi minh. Hoping to fight the viet minh, the french built up their garrison. A german legionnaire participating in the battle of dien bien phu in 1954, as a commando leader with 10th company, 3e rei at isabelle. During this time dien bien phu, surrounded by 2000ft hills and thus difficult to resupply by air as the french had intended, became the scene of fearful contests. To estimate the probable consequences within indochina during the next two or three months of the fall of dien bien phu within the near future.
The gunners literally would push their howitzers into prepared positions hidden by the jungle. In the spring of 1954, eight long and arduous years into the first indochina war, the french suffered a defeat that was so shameful and shambolic, it remains barely spoken of. The french strategy of seeking to establish a fortified base across the viet minhs route to and from laos provoked an awesome struggle that lasted from november 1953 to may 1954. Battle of dien bien phu french foreign legion information. French m24 at dien bien phu 1954 eliane itself is well preserved as befitting of its importance but you cant help but feel that conditions must have been truly awful during the battle. Causes and consequences of the battle of dien bien phu. The 1954 battle of dien bien phu ranks with stalingrad and tet for what it ended imperial ambitions, what it foretold american involvement, and what it symbolized. A guerrilla force of viet minh destroyed a technologically superior french army, convincing the viet minh that similar tactics might prevail in battle with the u. In the end, the financial and psychological strain proved too great for france to bear, and, after the capture of the french stronghold of dien bien phu in 1954 by. In his book war, army edited in hanoi, 1961 he wrote. The attack at dien bien phu began on march, 1954, with a strong viet minh attack, and continued through may. The siege of dien bien phu is a source frequently quoted the book is more than just a slightly expanded version of this in fact the author goes to some lengths to point out where aspects of falls work are are not supported by factual evidence or other sources as quite some materials have. The previous, a push by elements of three divisions into laos inter alia. July 16, 2009 on may 6, 1954, legendary pilot james b.
Battle of dien bien phu, the decisive engagement in the first indochina war 194654. If indochina were to fall to the communists the whole of southeast asia. The siege occurred while the 1954 geneva conference was ironing out agreements between the major powers, including the future of indochina. The siege caused a major strain in angloamerican relations, prompting australia and new zealand to seriously reconsider how closely, if at all, their respective external affairs. The battle of dien bien phu 19531954, stresses the author, was one of the modern eras most decisive confrontations. Hell in a very small place, subtitled the siege of dien bien phu is the classic. On august 16, fdr told morgenthau that we mustnt push japan too much or. News of dien bien phus fall was announced in france several hours after the.
The viet minh and the french had been fighting for control over vietnam since 1946 when the french violated the terms of an agreement between the newly formed ho chi minh government to drive the chinese out of vietnam. Hell in a very small place is the definitive account of the battle at dien bien phu a debacle that it has at one time or another been an assigned text at the u. On march 12, 1954, the day before vietnamese nationalist forces attacked the french military base at dien bien phu, viet minh commander vo nguyen giap proclaimed, it. John foster dulles on the fall of dien bien phu 1954 guerre. 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. Dien bien phu travel northwest vietnam, vietnam lonely.
Dien bien phu dbp plays a star role in vietnams modern history. Armstrong it is january 24, 1954, as you assume the role of general vo nguyen giap, commander of the military forces of the viet minh, the vietnamese communist independence movement led by ho chi minh that seeks to overthrow french colonial rule. Dien bien phu was a valley, and the french would not likely hold the high ground, so the hills ringing the valley would put them at a serious disadvantage. The fall of dien bien phu marks the end of one war and the beginning of another. The town sits in the heartshaped muong thanh valley, surrounded by heavily.
According to the mutual defense assistance act, the united states provided the french with material aid during the battle aircraft supplied by the uss saipan, weapons. Mar 08, 2011 french m24 at dien bien phu 1954 eliane itself is well preserved as befitting of its importance but you cant help but feel that conditions must have been truly awful during the battle. Predicting that australia would push for joint intervention in southeast asia. Historical dictionary of the indochina war 19451954 diva portal. Its defense of fiftyseven days and nights will go down in history as one of the most heroic of all time. In 1954, french forces in french indochina sought to cut the viet minhs supply lines to laos. Fall published his in 1966, as the us involvement in south vietnam was. Dien bien phu north vietnam received military weapons and other support from the soviet union and. Americans working for cat played a crucial role in the last days of this battle. The battle of dien bien phu was a climactic confrontation of the first indochina war that took. The french objective had been to support the soldiers at dien bien phu, deep in the hills of northwestern vietnam to cut off viet minh supply lines into. With this loss, the french ended their colonial involvement in indochina, paving the way for americans entry.
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. Apr 22, 2010 john foster dulles on the fall of dien bien phu a few hours ago, dien bien phu has fallen. On 7 may 1954, after a 56day siege, the french army surrendered. Several thousand french soldiers were trapped in the fortress at dien bien phu, an isolated town in northern vietnam, near the border with laos. A poignant, angry, articulate book newsweek mr falls book is a dramatic treatment of a. We were there in the dry season but a touch of rain combined with military activity would have transferred conditions quickly into a sea of mud.
John foster dulles on the fall of dien bien phu a few hours ago, dien bien phu has fallen. In the late 1940s, the french struggled to control its colonies in indochina vietnam, cambodia, and laos. On may 7, 1954, where did a french force fall to the vietminh. After french forces occupied the dien bien phu valley in late 1953, viet minh commander vo nguyen. No american is better qualified to tell the tale of dien bien phu and its significance than howard simpson. Dien bien phu sealed the fate of the french in indochina and forced paris to abandon the pursuit of colonial interests. Us, central intelligence agency, nie 6354, consequences. The viet minh victory in this battle effectively ended the eightyearold war. New perspectives on dien bien phu france, the final deterrent was its eightyear long dirty war sale guerre that ended with the unequivocal victory of vietnamese nationalist forces at dien bien phu in 1954. May 07, 2015 on this day in 1954, the french garrison at dein bien phu was overrun. They carried artillery pieces to the battle on their backs or by push. In early 1954, france, a key western ally, faced a major crisis in what was then called french indochina. Writing in 1954 and widely considered to be the greatest civilian expert on the war in vietnam, bernard b fall said that historically, dien bien. The fall of dien bien phu was a disaster not just for france but also for the united states who, by 1954, were underwriting 80% of french expenditures in indochina.
This major confrontation occurred at dien bien phu, a large heartshaped valley located in northwestern part of vietnam, near the border with laos. Four times wounded during the battle, he was deprived of his military medal due to his active participation in the generals putsch in algeria in 1961. This is probabaly the best book you can find of the battle of dien bien phu if you want to have a complete picture of that important struggle of 195354, without spending many days studying the massive and more authoritative volumes of fall and windrow. Multidivisional operations around the frenchfortified red river delta were similarly separate in space although not in time.
Covering the operation from beginning until the defeat. Despite financial assistance from the united states, nationalist uprisings against french colonial rule began to take their toll. Navarre apparently did not consider that the viet minh might also. In november 1953, the french, weary of jungle warfare, occupied dien bien phu, a small mountain outpost on the vietnamese border near laos. Bien phu marked the end of the first indochinese war and left the french decimated and embarrassed. 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. Stanley karnow, pulitzerprizewinning author of vietnam. Before the outbreak of fighting in march 1954, communist revolutionaries and. An aircraft belonging to civil air transport, a cia proprietary airline, flown by mcgovern was shot down by communist antiaircraft fire. The french defeat at dien bien phu in 1954 signalled the end of french influence in indochina.
Vietnamese communists to push through revolutionary social, cultural, agricultural. May 21, 2004 the radio switched to sombre classical music, and theatres, cinemas, and restaurants closed when the news of the fall of dien bien phu reached france on may 7 1954. In fact, the battle of dien bien phu is one of the most significant, not just of the 1950s where supposedly nothing much happened, but of the entire 20th century. The last valley by martin windrow books the guardian. See more ideas about first indochina war, vietnam war and vietnam.
Involvement in vietnam dien bien phu was a major battle of the first indochina war in which the french fought against the viet minh communists. The battle of dien bien phu was one of the most influential battles in military history. The battle of dien bien phu 1953 1954, stresses the author, was one of the modern eras most decisive confrontations. Bao dai leaves nice for vietnam aboard the french presidential. Form six or seven mobile divisions by the fall of 1954. A guerrilla force of viet minh destroyed a technologically superior french army, convincing the viet minh that. 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. Fifty years after the historical landmark of may the 7th, 1954, a lone survivor, colonel jean arlaux, gives his personal testimony during an interview organized by an american tv producers working on a documentary about the siege at dien bien phu. The battle fought around dien bien phu was the last major campaign by a european state in the region. The previous, a push by elements of three divisions into laos inter alia through dien bien phu in separate columns, narrowly avoided disaster when at least one came close to starving when logistics collapsed.
The battle of dien bien phu was the climatic battle of the first indochina war 1946 1954 between french military forces and those of the communist viet minh. The garrison at dien bien phu was under persistent and heavy. The siege of that french fortress was an epic of colonial warfare and one of the most significant battles of the 20 th century through the early 1950s, the french had been battling to hold their indochina colonies against a powerful, communistled insurgency. Apr 19, 2004 the french strategy of seeking to establish a fortified base across the viet minhs route to and from laos provoked an awesome struggle that lasted from november 1953 to may 1954. The french troops were inexperienced in operating in the terrain of dien bien phu. May 05, 2020 in november 1953, the french, weary of jungle warfare, occupied dien bien phu, a small mountain outpost on the vietnamese border near laos. May 07, 2014 the last weeks of the battle of dien bien phu were atrociously gruelling.
The unexpectedly swift fall of france changed roosevelts mind. The battle of dien bien phu the last pitched battle fought. Ted morgan has written an excellent book about the 1954 battle of dien bien phu. Bernard fall on the battle of dien bien phu parallel narratives. The base was wellfortified and defended by crack troops, but it could only be reached by air. One 2018 book refers to aerial supply that the french needed to fly in 36000. The french war to defeat the vietminh was going badly early in 1954. Fall ebook product description the 1954 battle of dien bien phu ranks with stalingrad and tet for what it ended imperial ambitions, what it foretold american involvement, and what it symbolized.
Dien bien phu may 6, 1954, by dominique chaoarlaux and. In february 1954, following the french occupation of di. The battle of dien bien phu, 1954 a picture from the past. 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. Nie 6354 approved 28 april 1954 published 30 april 1954. Falls hell in a very small place is undeniably a classic of military history. Mcgovern and his flight officer, wallace wally buford, were flying supplies to french forces at dien bien phu in northern indochina. Navarre nonetheless persisted with his plan, and french troops started parachuting into the valley to prepare fortified positions from the end of november 1953. He was there on the ground for the brutal and historic fall of dien bien phu that marked the end of the french involvement in the region. John foster dulles on the fall of dien bien phu 1954. Apr 01, 2005 had heard about the battle of dien bien phu when i was in the marine corps. Another cause of of the battle of dien bien phu was the viet minh mobilisation. Today marks the 60 th anniversary of the surrender of the french fortress outpost at dien bien phu in vietnam.