Battle of Dien Bien Phu

The First Vietnam War, or Indochina War (1946–1954), was the result of hostilities between the communist Vietnamese and the French who were reluctant to give full independence to their former colonies. This war of national liberation has to be interpreted within the general contexts of World War II, decolonization, Cold War, and affirmations of communist political powers in China and Korea (giving this conflict its political characteristics as a revolutionary war). The French defeat in Dien Bien Phu was the decisive event of the war, ended by the Geneva Agreements (20 July 1954). After their success in Na San (1952) against the Vietminh—the Revolutionary League for the Independence of Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh (b. 1890–d. 1969)—the French decided to build a similar air-land base in Dien Bien Phu. What was initially a limited operation (20 November 1953), aiming to protect Laos, became a decisive battle, lasting fifty-five days from 13 March to 7 May 1954. When the Vietminh, under the command of General Vo Nguyen Giap (b. 1911–d. 2013), took two important outposts, the French failure was inevitable. Actually, essential factors of the defense—destroying the Vietminh artillery and keeping the airstrip opened—were both defective. The Geneva accords, concluded within the context of detente in the Cold War and after the end of the Korean War, were disappointing to the Vietminh. Vietnam was divided by the 17th parallel into two parts, North Vietnam under communist rule and South Vietnam ruled by former Emperor Bao Dai (b. 1913–d. 1997), and then by President Ngo Dinh Diem (b. 1901–d. 1963). Both opponents wanted a unified Vietnam, sowing the seeds of the Vietnam War (1955–1975). Vietnam was reunified in 1975 after the fall of Saigon, today Ho Chi Minh City.