‘Siege’ – the pinnacle of Vietnamese military art in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign

“Encirclement” strategy

Lieutenant General Hoang Khanh Hung – former Political Commissar of the Military Technical Academy, Chairman of the Association to Support Families of Vietnamese Martyrs, said that the Dien Bien Phu Victory was an extremely great victory of our Party and people.

Lieutenant General Hoang Khanh Hung reiterated: Having failed at the Autumn – Winter border in 1950, the French colonialists chose Dien Bien Phu to build 3 subdivisions with 49 bases, including 2 airports. In addition, Dien Bien Phu also has a full range of combat troops such as artillery, infantry, air force…

Meanwhile, our army has matured but is still lacking and far from the rear. But we have an independent and autonomous strategy and battle plan and have made wise decisions.

According to Lieutenant General Hoang Khanh Hung, a highlight of our success is the “encirclement” tactic. This is a form of strategy to attack the enemy in a permanent fortification by encircling, destroying and encroaching step by step and then destroying it. Accordingly, in the second attack (starting on March 30, 1954), we and the enemy fought for every inch of land. The fiercest battle was on hills A1, C1, D1 and C2, with huge casualties on both sides. Therefore, our army decided to dig a system of fortifications and trenches to maneuver artillery, transport wounded soldiers and approach enemy positions. Our troops secretly pressed deep into the base, so much so that the French army felt as if our troops had “emerged from the ground” right in the middle of the Dien Bien basin. “This is the most typical military art in the Dien Bien Phu campaign. This art clearly demonstrates the role of coordinated combat between the armed forces of the Vietnam People’s Army,” Lieutenant General Hoang Khanh Hung shared.

According to Major General Le Nhu Duc – Chairman of the City Veterans Association. Hanoi, organizing the battlefield to disperse enemy forces is also a military art of ours. Accordingly, before attacking Dien Bien Phu, our army approached Dien Bien Phu base. At the same time, liberating Lai Chau town left Dien Bien Phu base isolated in the Northwest mountains and forests. After that, we coordinated with the Lao army to launch a campaign to attack Central Laos and Lower Laos, forcing France to dispatch troops to Central Laos to deal with it. At the end of December 1953, the entire area of ​​Kham Muon province (Laos) was liberated. The enemy’s Central Laos line was broken. To save the day, France continued to mobilize a mobile army and an airlift army from the Northern Delta to deal with the situation. Thus, their forces were scattered and weakened, we decided to fight and win at Dien Bien Phu base.

Mobilize the strength of the entire people

According to Major General Le Nhu Duc, to prepare for the Dien Bien Phu campaign, we have mobilized troops and people in many provinces and cities, such as: Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Hoa Binh, Dien Bien… along with go to combat. In difficult and needy circumstances, people have given food and clothing, contributed food and food. Not only that, thousands of frontline workers and young volunteers volunteered to build roads and transport food to Dien Bien Phu.

Along with that, the engineer force worked day and night through the forest to open the main roads of the motorized transport route; mobilized the unanimity and strength of the entire nation to win Dien Bien Phu in particular and Indochina in general.

Sharing the same opinion, Lieutenant General Hoang Khanh Hung said that, in the face of difficulties, we have mobilized the strength of the entire people, relying mainly on the people. The strength of the people and the entire nation has been skillfully promoted by our Party, not only during the Dien Bien Phu campaign but also until now. The Dien Bien Phu victory affirmed that a nation, no matter how small, can still defeat its enemies, no matter how violent and strong, when united. In addition, our Party is also very skillful in diplomacy and receives support and assistance from friends all over the world, both spiritually and materially.

Assessing the strength of the people’s hearts in the Dien Bien Phu campaign, General Vo Nguyen Giap once affirmed: “Never during the many years of the resistance war have our people contributed as much effort as in the Winter-Spring of 1953 – 1954 to support the army in fighting the enemy. The imperialists never evaluate the strength of an entire nation, the strength of the people. That strength can overcome all difficulties and defeat all enemies.”

Also according to Lieutenant General Hoang Khanh Hung, the practical achievements of nearly 40 years of innovation have proven that only by gathering and rallying the “people’s hearts” can patriotism and high determination of the entire community be aroused. people, thereby creating the combined strength of the great national unity bloc. In the current cause of building and defending the Fatherland, the spirit and value of the Dien Bien Phu victory have become a strong motivation for the entire Party, the entire army and the entire people to strive to build a rich, strong and prosperous country. honor, gradually enhancing Vietnam’s prestige and position in the international arena.

Thanh Hieu