Dien Bien Phu 1954: The French Defeat that Lured America into Vietnam

The siege, and subsequent 56 day assault (13 March–7 May) on the 'air-ground base' at Dien Bien Phu in the Thai Highlands of North Vietnam was the battle which broke France's will to keep fighting her Indochina War (1946–54). Their garrison eventually comprised some 15,000 men in 16 plus battalions including French, Foreign Legion and Vietnamese paratroops; and North African and Indochinese infantry, supported byFrench tanks and West African artillery. General Vo Nguyen Giap's Vietnamese People's Army consisted of atleast 50,000 men in four-plus divisions. The Frenchhad planned to cut the Viet Minh's route to French-protectedLaos; and install a base for aggressive sorties; to draw theVietnamese into a set-piece battle, and then overwhelmthem using superior firepower. However, Giap brought heavy artillery and antiaircraftguns through the difficult terrain, positioned them masterfully, and set aboutdestroying the French fortified positions.

In this superbly illustrated volume, the fighting at Dien Bien Phu is analysed and explored in detail. Featuring full colour commissioned artwork and maps, this study illustrates the progression of the tactics used to defeat the French in May 1954. It conveys the key part this battle played in drawing the USA inexorably into a second Indochina conflict - the Vietnam War (1955-75).