PANO – Dien Bien Phu, the “determined to fight” campaign, had a decisive role leading to the final victory of the resistance war against the French invaders.
This was a fierce battle of wisdom and strength between Vietnam and the invaders.
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After 55 days and nights of resilient fighting, our troops and people defeated the strongest group of fortresses of the French colonialists, forcing them to sign in the Geneva Accords on restoring peace in Indochina.
The victory of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign resulted from many factors, including the intelligence and brave fighting spirit against the enemies of our troops and people, especially those in the Northwestern region.
Artilleries transported to the battle field. A file photo
Acknowledging Vietnam’s strength in the Winter-Spring Strategic Offensive of 1953-1954, as well as the important position of the Northwestern battlefield, France decided to deploy elite troops to occupy Dien Bien Phu.
Military analysts held that if the French could hold Dien Bien Phu, including Muong Thanh field, and surrounding areas, they would dominate the whole of northern Indochina. Moreover, the Northwestern region, full of obstacles and difficult to access, was far away from the area under the Viet Minh’s control. Thus, the Viet Minh could hardly transport supplies or mobilize large forces for long operations.
This meant that if the French enemies could control the northern Indochina battlefield they would tighten their control over the midland, withhold the lowland and check the opponents from reinforcing either troops or supplying food reinforcement. As a result, the regular army of Vietnam would be weakened and their operation strength would be reduced and finally Vietnam would have had to accept all conditions posited by the French at the Geneva Conference.
Based on that analysis, France decided to reinforce its troops in Dien Bien Phu. Dozens of infantry battalions and paratroops, the most elite units and some battalions including local people, getting used to the local terrain and operations in mountainous areas were deployed to the area.
Knowing the difficulties that its troops would face in Dien Bien Phu, the French ordered its troops to occupy many surrounding hills to turn Dien Bien Phu into a group of strong fortresses that might not be destroyed by Viet Minh.
The group of fortresses included many fortifications that could fight independently, but still could support each other. This group had its own airport to serve field missions and to receive supplies and reinforcements.
Besides, the French troops had dug a number of trenches linking fortifications and the group of fortresses, being circled by many barriers. They also flew dismantled tanks and heavy artillery to reinforce Dien Bien Phu.
Assessing the operational capacity of the group of fortresses, both French and American officers said that this unbreakable fortress was a giant machine formed to wipe out the Viet Minh’s regular brigades.
As soon as France landed troops in Dien Bien Phu, the Central Military Commission decided to launch a campaign to attack them.
Taking a rest. A file photo
Evaluating the situation, the Campaign’s High Command thought of making use of disadvantages of the enemies, including the weak points in arrangement and fortifications, to launch a sudden attack. The strategy was “swift attack, swift win”. Accordingly, all forces would be mobilized to take over important fortifications and then attack the centre to annihilate the remaining enemies.
However, our preparation for the attack was not completed while the enemies had its force reinforced and fortifications strengthened. Thus, when the attack time was coming, the commander cum secretary of the campaign’s party committee, General Vo Nguyen Giap, proposed to change the strategy into “slow advance, certain success”, concentrating on decimating the enemies in some fortifications, wiping out the enemies in their counter-attacks and weakening their forces before launching a general offensive to win the entire victory.
General Vo Nguyen Giap’s change in strategy was discussed carefully. At last, the Party Committee agreed on it, which demonstrated the intelligence in assessing the development and bravery in making the right decision in association with the reality, highlighting the political stance of the campaign’s leaders.
The right policy and strong will of the Party Committee was disseminated to each cadre and troop. Discussions were made democratically to reach final consensus. Our troops used tree branches to create more friction or big stumps as capstan to pull and push artilleries to the battlefield through slippery roads, mountains and slopes. High combat spirit could be seen in each troop. Sappers quickly built roads and bridges and camouflaged ferries and wharfs from the enemies. Front suppliers used bikes with wooden bars to carry supports. Each bike could carry nearly 400kg of supplies and ammunition to the battlefield.
It was the difficulties that resulted in innovations and creativeness fighting against foreign invaders. Head of a company Tran Can had applied flexible tactics in combating the enemies’ counter-attacks by close-fighting. Can himself had bravely fought the enemies till the last breathe, while Be Van Dan used his own body as a gun rack to enforcing fire-power to wipe out the enemies. Phung Van Khau eyed via artillery barrel to fire at the enemy tanks and fortifications. Signal soldier Chu Van Mui teamed with the infantry to attack the enemies, while pointing out targets for the artillery. Sappers used nearly one tonne of explosives to destroy the enemies’ trenches and headquarters. Notably, while firing at the enemies our troops were digging more trenches to tighten the blockade and creating a diversion to expand the attack.
Dien Bien troops’ intelligence and bravery were known nationwide, encouraging other localities to combat the enemies. As a result, the enemy fortifications were razed to the ground and some airports, ports and transport routes were stormed.
A thousand tonnes of foodstuffs were secretly transported to liberated areas and then to Dien Bien Phu despite the strict control of French troops.
Our troops and people’s intelligence and bravery stemmed from the solidarity, patriotism and resilient and indomitable strong will, love for peace and national independence, freedom and happiness.
It is true that it is the combination of intelligence and bravery that created the strength to fight against the enemies on Dien Bien Phu battlefield, securing Dien Bien Phu Campaign as a decisive victory.
By Associate Professor, Dr, Major General Bui Thanh Son
Translated by Mai Huong
Đăng ký: VietNam News
