When did the Battle of Dien Bien Phu take place?
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu took place between the 13th of March and the 7th of May 1954. It was part of the First Indochina War and ended with the surrender of the French garrison on the 7th of May.
Questions about Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who was the Viet Minh commander at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu?
General Vo Nguyen Giap commanded the Viet Minh forces at Dien Bien Phu. He led approximately 50,000 troops organized in five divisions, including the 351st Heavy Division, an artillery formation.
What was the French military strategy at Dien Bien Phu?
The French used a fortified airhead strategy called the herisson (hedgehog), developed by Colonel Louis Berteil, based on earlier success at the Battle of Na San. They planned to cut Viet Minh supply lines to Laos and lure Giap into a pitched battle where superior French artillery and air support could destroy his forces. The plan assumed the Viet Minh lacked significant anti-aircraft capability and heavy artillery, an assumption that proved wrong.
How many prisoners were taken after the fall of Dien Bien Phu?
On the 8th of May 1954, the Viet Minh counted 11,721 prisoners, of whom 4,436 were already wounded. Of 10,863 prisoners, only 3,290 were repatriated four months later. The estimated death rate of French troops in Viet Minh captivity was approximately 60 percent.
Did the United States participate in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu?
The United States participated covertly. By 1954, the US was funding 80 percent of French war expenditures in Indochina. The CIA, through a company called CAT, had 39 American pilots fly 682 transport sorties during the siege. Two pilots, James B. McGovern Jr. and Wallace Buford, were killed. Direct military intervention was considered but voted down by US lawmakers as a potential act of war.
What were the political consequences of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu?
The Geneva Accords, signed ten weeks after the battle, temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh in the north and the State of Vietnam in the south. French Prime Minister Joseph Laniel resigned in June 1954. The last French forces withdrew from Vietnam in 1956. The battle also inspired anti-colonial movements elsewhere, including Algeria's National Liberation Front.