The French and Dien Bien Phu
Statement of Significance: The United States increased aid and sent U.S. military advisers to South Vietnam for the first time after the French colonial efforts had ended in Indochina.
Summary of Event: The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was fought between the French Union’s French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist-nationalist revolutionaries. It was the first war fought in Indochina between March and May in the year 1954. In northwest Vietnam, the French got defeated by Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces at Dien Bien Phu. The defeat of the French signaled the ending of French colonial influence occurring in Indochina. The result of blunders in French decision making led to the beginning of the operation supporting soldiers at Dien Bien Phu. The purpose was to shut down the supply lines into neighboring Kingdom of Laos of Viet Minh. In November 1953, the French occupied the small mountain of Dien Bien Phu. The French were confident in getting supplies by air to the fort since the Vietnamese quickly cut off all roads to the fort. The French were confident of their location since it was out in the open and they trusted their superior artillery to maintain the safety of their position. In 1954, the Viet Minh army fought against Dien Bien Phu by encircling them with 40,000 Communist troops and heavy artillery. On March 12, the first Minh assault against 13,000 French troops occurred. In result, the French held only two square miles by late April. After 57 days on May 7, the French collapsed. After the French colonial efforts in Indochina had ended, soon the United States had filled the gap increasing aid for South Vietnam and sending U.S. military advisers for the first time in 1959.
Summary of Event: The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was fought between the French Union’s French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist-nationalist revolutionaries. It was the first war fought in Indochina between March and May in the year 1954. In northwest Vietnam, the French got defeated by Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces at Dien Bien Phu. The defeat of the French signaled the ending of French colonial influence occurring in Indochina. The result of blunders in French decision making led to the beginning of the operation supporting soldiers at Dien Bien Phu. The purpose was to shut down the supply lines into neighboring Kingdom of Laos of Viet Minh. In November 1953, the French occupied the small mountain of Dien Bien Phu. The French were confident in getting supplies by air to the fort since the Vietnamese quickly cut off all roads to the fort. The French were confident of their location since it was out in the open and they trusted their superior artillery to maintain the safety of their position. In 1954, the Viet Minh army fought against Dien Bien Phu by encircling them with 40,000 Communist troops and heavy artillery. On March 12, the first Minh assault against 13,000 French troops occurred. In result, the French held only two square miles by late April. After 57 days on May 7, the French collapsed. After the French colonial efforts in Indochina had ended, soon the United States had filled the gap increasing aid for South Vietnam and sending U.S. military advisers for the first time in 1959.