When did the Battle of Dien Bien Phu begin and end?
The battle began in earnest on the 13th of March 1954 with an attack on the northeastern outpost Béatrice. The final massed assault overran French positions within hours on the 7th of May 1954.
Questions about Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who commanded the Union forces during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu?
French Premier René Mayer appointed Henri Navarre to command the Union forces in Indochina in November 1953. General Võ Nguyên Giáp led the Viet Minh forces that surrounded the valley with heavy artillery.
How many prisoners were captured by the Viet Minh at the conclusion of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu?
On the 8th of May the Viet Minh counted 11,721 prisoners of whom 4,436 were wounded. This was the greatest number the Viet Minh had ever captured amounting to one-third of the total captured during the entire war.
What role did American covert pilots play in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu?
American covert pilots flew 682 sorties over the course of the battle in CIA-owned C-119 Flying Boxcars. Two of these pilots James B. McGovern Jr. and Wallace Buford were killed in action during the siege while the United States intentionally avoided overt direct intervention.
When did the Geneva Conference open regarding the outcome of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu?
The Geneva Conference opened on the 8th of May 1954 discussing Korea before reaching Indo-China as the second agenda item. The resulting agreement in July partitioned Vietnam into two zones with communist North Vietnam and the State of Vietnam in the south.