Fifty years ago the fall of dien bien phu put paid to the french presence in vietnam. One 2018 book refers to aerial supply that the french needed to fly in 36000 tonnes of equipment they managed. He combines a thorough understanding of the strategic situation in indochina, the political background in france and the tactical problem that the french faced in the valley of dien bien phu with an extraordinary ability to put the reader at the scene of the battle itself. After french forces occupied the dien bien phu valley in late 1953, viet minh commander vo nguyen giap amassed troops and placed heavy. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. The battle of dien bien phu lasted months, but the fallout lasted. This valuable volume provides a clearer understanding of why the viet minh, under giaps charismatic leadership, performed as they did. Peoples war, peoples army marxists internet archive. On may 7, 1954, french troops surrendered to the communist viet minh, triggering the decolonisation of. On may 7th 1954, the garnison of the fortified camp of dien bien phu ceased the fight against general giap vietminh army after an heroic resistance. Catherine karnowcorbis giap s political timidity came as a crushing disappointment. The general who defeated america in vietnam by james. Dien bien phu is a place of the one of the biggest fight of vietminh against the french colonial army.
We recommend booking dien bien phu museum tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Colonel piroth, the artillery commander, blamed himself for the destruction of french artillery superiority. And we learn that as commander of the assault on dien bien phu, giap faced a difficult decision. History, written by wacsomous general vo nguyen giap, may be the best book for wmderstanding the famous battle in 1954, which became the death knell for colonialism. New search eresources user lists site feedback help ask a librarian. General giap was also the victor in what americans call the vietnam war and vietnamese call the american war. During this time dien bien phu, surrounded by 2000 ft hills and thus difficult to resupply by air as the french had intended, became the scene of fearful contests between the locally savvy men of general giap and the hapless french forces who, losing one strongpoint after another, were finally trapped in dien bien phu garrison. My recommendation would be hell in a very small place by bernard fall which i believe is much more readable and has more detail on the battle itself. Mar 03, 2012 it was never the plan, as often assumed, to set up a strong point to draw the viet minh into a trap. Complete with detailed accounts, maps, and photos, giap s memoirs depicts concretely how a small and weak nation can overcome a stronger force.
The french defeat in vietnam is a classic example on how not to conduct a war. General vo nguyen giap obituary world news the guardian. Dien bien phu, rendezvous with history by vo nguyen giap. After breakfast at the hotel we will continue to tour of the historical relics of dien bien phu including the campaign headquarter of vietnamese soldiers, tunnel of chief hoang van thai, working tunnel and shack of general vo nguyen giap, and areas in muong phang where vietnamese army stationed and also the dien bien museum. Dien bien phu vo nguyen giap foreign languages pub. The genius of vietnams general vo nguyen giap warriors the warriors by cecil b. General giap cites lessonsof dien bien phu the new. Vo nguyen giap, born 1912, an xa, vietnamdied october 4, 20, hanoi, vietnamese military and political leader whose perfection of guerrilla as well as conventional strategy and tactics led to the viet minh victory over the french and to the end of french colonialism in southeast asia and later to the north vietnamese victory over south vietnam and the united states. Dien bien phu vo nguyen giap national library of australia.
Vietnamese general behind victories over french and us. Buku yang menarik dari sudut pandang seorang vo nguyen giap. When the vietminh, under the command of general vo nguyen giap b. Two of them, fall 1967 and rocolle 1968, were strangely published at the same time on both sides of the atlantic ocean. General giap, whose victory at dien bien phu forced france from vietnam, later waged a long battle with the united states military that. Vo nguyen giaps most popular book is victory at any cost. I havent read martin woodrows book yet but that is next. For 54 days, the viet minh seized position after position, pushing the french until they occupied only a small area of dien bien phu. Reflections on general giap and the end of an era in. Its a bitch to get through because you have to learn. General westmoreland, presidents johnson and nixon all severely underestimated general giap as an adversary, as did the french at dien bien phu.
Around the 30th anniversary of the fall of dien bien phu, they had put a. Dien bien phu museum 2020 all you need to know before you. Besides, muong thanh airfield, doc lap hill, him lam hill, dien bien phu victorious statue and dien bien phu victory museum are recommended to visit. Oct 04, 20 vo nguyen giap masterminded battle of dien bien phu, which led to france leaving indochina, and commanded norths forces in vietnam war. Vo nguyen giap was one of the greatest generals in the vietnamese army, and is the famous for winning the battle in dien bien phu. General giap was a patriot who loved his country and, like good patriots, wanted it to be better than it was, knowing full well that his wish was within the realm of possibility. Content foreword 7 notice 9 president ho chi minks letters 11 dien bien phu i. The french parachuted and captured dien bien phu on november 20 1953. Vietnam war a memoir bio of general vo nguyen giap.
The battle of dien bien phu was the decisive engagement in the first indochina war 194654. May 7 is marked in viet nam as the anniversary of the victory of dien bien phu, and this year commemorates the 52nd anniversary of the end of the famous battle. The viet minh had no air force and china had not escalated its support to that level. Most books that describe the 1954 battle between the french and viet minh at dien bien phu or the united states struggle in vietnam during the 1960s place most, if not all, of the focus on what the allies did right or wrong. Jun 21, 20 on may 7th 1954, the garnison of the fortified camp of dien bien phu ceased the fight against general giap vietminh army after an heroic resistance.
General vo nguyen giap in 1994, the 40th anniversary of the defeat of the french at dien bien phu. Schoolteacher turnedgeneral vo nguyen giap indeed faced. C47s last flight out of hell, dien bien phu, vietnam 1954. Fifty years ago the fall of dien bien phu put paid to the french.
It is neatly complimented, but in no way surpassed by martin windrows the last valley, subtitled dien bien phu and the french defeat in vietnam. General dung, not giap, planned the final successful at the battle of dien bien phu because giap had been struck down by diarrhea. Here, the renowned general vo nguyen giap and vietnamese military used to work and plan for the glorious dien bien phu victory. At dien bien phu, you are determined to implement a battle plan that imposes your will on the enemy. The only weakness in the book is that it leans heavily to the french side of the struggle, which is the result of the book being written during the cold war. It was thus with some confidence that general henri navarre, namesake of a popular medieval king, parachuted and airlanded the equivalent of two divisions around the seat of the border county prefecture the meaning of the name dien bien phu at muong thanh village in the nam yum river valley. He stood out from the rest of the communist leadership. Both the journey out and the historical sight are highlights of a visit to the area. Commanderinchief of the vietnam peoples army, especially when this account clearly and thoroughly. The epic battle america forgot history of war simpson, howard r. Hell in a very small place, subtitled the siege of dien bien phu is the classic account of a french defeat in a rainsoaked valley in the northeast vietnam. Reflections on general giap and the end of an era in vietnam. In december 1953 french paratroopers, who had been searching for the elusive vietnamese army, were quickly isolated by them and forced to retreat into their. Til that the battle of dien bien phu fought by the french against the vietnamese was the only pitched battle to be lost by a european army in the history of decolonisation and it cost the french their empire.
Dien bien phu is one of the best examples of a western power being beaten by a national liberation movement in a conventional form of battle. Vo nguyen giap, the celebrated general who masterminded the defeat of the french military at dien bien phu and led north vietnams forces against the us, has died aged 102 at. Curreys book, however, offers the reader an indepth account of the only general in modern history to launch battle against his foes from a position of grave weakness. General vo nguyen giap dien bien phu revised and enlarged edition foreign languages publishing house hanoi 1964. Vo nguyen giap is the vietnamese general who planned the ho chi minh trail and defeated the french at dien bien phu.
The battle of dien bien phu 19531954, stresses the author, was one of the modern eras most decisive confrontations. The battle of dien bien phu was a climactic confrontation of the first indochina war that took. Peter macdonald, author of giap, on the cover of your book, it says the. Until the 1990s, a trip from hanoi to dien bien phu still took five days. Oct 05, 20 general giap, whose victory at dien bien phu forced france from vietnam, later waged a long battle with the united states military that eventually sapped americas political will to fight. You gather your staff and division commanders in your command bunker in the hills north of dien bien phu to brief them on three courses of action you are considering. Reflections on the passing of general giap and the end of. Oct 11, 2019 general vo nguyen giap 2nd, r and other commanding officers discuss dien bien phu plans in 1954. General giap s memoirs comprise the most interesting portion of the book. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund.
Martin woollacott is moved by martin windrows judicious account of the battle, the last valley. The redux edition of apocalypse now 1979 features a scene in which french plantation owners mention the battle of dien bien phu as a devastating event for the prospects of continued french occupation and blame communist revolutionaries in paris for sabotaging the french war effort. General giap, 71 years old, visited dien bien phu this week to oversee arrangements for the 30th anniversary of the battle, judged by some historians. The french defeat in dien bien phu was the decisive event of the war. Remembering vietnams battle of dien bien phu on this day in 1954, an epic battle ended in vietnam. Aug 25, 2006 vo nguyen giap is the vietnamese general who planned the ho chi minh trail and defeated the french at dien bien phu. Vo nguyen giap talked about his greatest military victory, against the. The the 141st and 219th regiments of the 312th viet minh division attack the 3d battalion, th foreign legion demibrigade at isolated strong point beatrice. Information agency correspondent visited the isolated french fortress and knew many of its defenders, relates the story in heroic terms.
Dien bien phu is recognized as one of historys great battles. Dien bien phu and the french defeat in vietnam martin windrow da capo press, 2004. Martin windrows account of dien bien phu is the best battle history that i have read in ages. Dien bien phu is the definitive account of the great, climactic battle in french indochina that led to the american commitment to vietnam. Navarre committed a major force to dien bien phu, in order to prevent giap from capturing luang prabang in 1954.
We learn details like the fact that giap traveled on horseback or in a captured army jeep and that he had great affection for the natural beauty of his country. Dien bien phu a city in the northwest vietnam, especially for fans of military history. Books by vo nguyen giap author of peoples war peoples army. Vietnams celebrated general giap, victor at dien bien phu and mastermind of the tet offensive. General giap, the viet minh commander saw this as an opportunity to inflict a major. Photo courtesy of hanois museum of dien bien phu victory.
After dien bien phu, general giap came to symbolize vietnamese military prowess to the west. Standing on a hill this week overlooking the historic battle site here, gen. In this masterful account of the battle of dien bien phu of. General vo nguyen giap 2nd, r and other commanding officers discuss dien bien phu plans in 1954. After french forces occupied the dien bien phu valley in late 1953, viet minh commander vo nguyen. Til that the battle of dien bien phu fought by the french. So ended an epic struggle begon 170 days earlier with the landing of the first french paratroopers on the site of dien bien phu. Aug 28, 2017 17 kilometres east of dien bien phu are the remains of general giap s viet minh headquarters from which led the successful battle against the french. Dien bien phu by linh dinh veterans today military. Vo nguyen giap has 32 books on goodreads with 1140 ratings.
Search the catalogue for collection items held by the national library of australia. So ended an epic struggle begon 170 days earlier with the landing of the first french paratroopers on the site of. Even more than stones, bricks or people, stories make a place, and dien bien phus are larger than life. His units were moving even before the french occupied dien bien phu. After french forces occupied the dien bien phu valley in. After the gulf war, general schwarzkopf wrote a book about his activities. To the fighters on the dien bien phu battlefront dear officers and men on the dien bien phu battlefront. In a rare interview with the author of a book about the trail, he recalls his.
General vo nguyen giap, commander of the north vietnamese army, wrote in his memoirs that his army was on the brink of collapse, but the u. Plenty of books have been written on dien bien phu, but i think martin windrows account of the battle is the best account of it yet. He always has been surrounded by political enemies and the victim of decades of sly whispers campaigns so common in vietnam. Dien bien phu, rendezvous with history vo nguyen giap, lady borton on. The french defeat at dien bien phu was a game changer, ending french colonial rule in. Senior general vo nguyen giap was, and is, the only pavn figure known at all well outside of vietnam, the only pavn general mentioned in most counts of the vietnam war, and the only vietnamese communist military leader about whom a full length biography has been written. Battle of dien bien phu military history oxford bibliographies. Even more than stones, bricks or people, stories make a place, and dien bien phu s are larger than life. With the defeat of the french troops coming to a fatal close in april 1954, almost 70 douglas c47s made overtime to fly in and out of the besieged army camp dien bien phu. Dien bien phu and the french defeat in vietnam by martin windrow weidenfeld and nicholson, rrp. Dien bien phu goodreads share book recommendations. Vo nguyen giap, member of the political bureau of the central committee of the viet.
The vietnamese victory at dien bien phu in may 1954, with the killing or capturing of over 16,000 enemy forces, sealed the defeat of french colonialism in indochina. The tragedy at dien bien phu that led america into the vietnam war. If a general reader wanted a recommendation for one book on the battle of dien bien phu, i would not recommend that this to be the one. In his book war, army edited in hanoi, 1961 he wrote. At the same time, he also was able to objectively cover general giap s viewpoint of the vietminh. He first grew to prominence during world war ii, where he served as the military leader of the viet minh resistance against the japanese occupation. Giap him self, as windrow says, was a general of limited talents but great. Information agency correspondent visited the isolated fre. This book chronicles giap s 30 year military career, from his alignment with ho chi minh to his toppling of. General giap, the viet minh commander saw this as an opportunity to inflict a major defeat on the french. At the same time, he also was able to objectively cover general giap s. However, dien bien phu is a gripping tale, and anyone who seeks to understand the base of the vietnam morass should read this book. How to get there, travel guide, weather, detailed map of area, what to visit. But there never was any sufficient commitment to convincingly support this objective.
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