Dien Bien Phu 1953-54: The Grave of French Indochina

A Public Lecture Lieutenant-Colonel (retd) David Wilson 

Arguably one of the most influential battles of modern times in South-East Asia, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu lasted for 178 days between late November 1953 and early May 1954. It was the final, decisive engagement in the First Indochina War which began in 1946 when the French made determined efforts to recover their colonies in Indochina (now Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) after Japanese occupation in World War Two.

The occupation of this northern stronghold at Dien Bien Phu by French and local allied forces became a focal point of world attention. The French selected Dien Bien Phu/Muong Thanh as the centre of operations because of its proximity to both Route 41 and the airfield, the largest of several built in the valley by the Japanese during the war. Communist Viet Minh guerrilla forces commander General Vo Nguyen Giap deployed artillery and anti-aircraft guns in hidden positions in the surrounding hills, which helped negate the French advantages of military technology, communications and air superiority. Once Giap’s troops had denied the garrison full use of the main airfield, the situation devolved into a prolonged siege. The arrival of the monsoon turned the French garrison’s positions into a swamp of foetid trench warfare with echoes of World War One. General Giap was considerably aided by Chinese specialist advisers and substantial amounts of military hardware.  

The shock of the defeat at Dien Bien Phu led the French Government to sign the Geneva Accord in July 1954 and within six months France had abandoned its Indochinese colonies completely.

We will examine the opposing commanders and several key personnel who controlled the battle. David will put into context the strategic background as well as the weapons and tactics used by both sides.