Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. It served as a garrison town maintained by French troops in the 19th century. “Fortress” Dien Bien Phu would ultimately be defended by 12000 men, including seven parachute battalions, three North African battalions, two Thai and one Vietnamese battalion. This year fewer remembrances are taking place. Dien Bien Phu does a wonder of showing viewers just what the end of French occupation must have been like. Dien Bien Phu Today It was an epic battle in a tragic war and most people neither know or care what happened in the valley where a small border post named Dien Bien Phu became synonymous with forgotten sacrifice. Dien Bien Phu (Điện Biên Phủ) lies to the west of northern Vietnam, approximately 10 km from the border with Laos. In the end, of the 16,000 French troops, fewer than 100 broke through the siege at Dien Bien Phu, with the rest killed, wounded, or captured. Dien Bien Phu was founded in 1841when the Nguyen Dynasty wanted a fortified royal district as a response to the growing problem of banditry in the area. Book your tour now Today, 10 years after Dien Bien Phu, Viet Cong guerrillas in South Vietnam again challenge the West’s ability to withstand a potent combination of political and military pressure in a totally alien environment. Dien Bien Phu was the decisive battle of the First Indochina War.It ended with victory to the Viet Minh, the surrender of French colonial forces and eventually, the withdrawal of the French from Vietnam. That’s good for them. Things to Do in Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam: See Tripadvisor's 891 traveler reviews and photos of Dien Bien Phu tourist attractions. The Battle of Dien Bien Phu began in mid-March and ended in early May 1954. Media celebrated her as “the angel of Dien Bien Phu.” However, de Galard was not the only woman at Dien Bien Phu. Muong Thanh Valley is the largest rice field in northwestern Vietnam. General… President Ho Chi Minh indicated Vietnam Liberation People’s Army to treat the French prisoners with humanity and they still survived to return France. It is located in the Muong Thanh valley in a heart shape, a 20 km long and 6 km wide valley. Book Dien Bien Phu Tour Packages 5 days. In this case, guerrilla warfare did not just mean hit and run … Combat support was comprised of an engineer battalion, truck company, ten light tanks, two 75-mm and 105-mm artillery groups, and four 155-mm howitzers. Some are in Vietnam and others in France. Now, Dien Bien Phu is a modern town that continues to grow. A French newspaper from 1954, with the headline ‘Dien Bien Phu is a tomb’. The scenes are beautiful and sharp, and the French troops are amazing portrayed by these actors. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in April. You will get great accommodation selection, safety driver and especially Our tour guide are knowledgeable, good communicator, storyteller, organisational skills, charismatic, empathetic, and sense of humour helps. We have reviews of the best places to see in Dien Bien Phu. At Dien Bien Phu, the French made the same mistake that western armed forces would repeatedly make throughout the latter half of the 20 th century – they underestimated the potential of guerrilla fighters. On that day in May 1954 it had become apparent by 10 a.m. that Dien Bien Phu’s position was hopeless. The defeat was a complete rout for the French.