On the afternoon of May 7, 1954, the "Determined to Fight, Determined to Win" flag of the Vietnam People's Army flew atop General De Castries' bunker. The historic Dien Bien Phu campaign had achieved complete victory. Photo: Archival material.

The 56 days and nights of "digging tunnels in the mountains, sleeping in bunkers, enduring torrential rain, and eating dried rice rations" have come to an end.

The Dien Bien Phu campaign lasted 56 days and nights, a confrontation with an unequal balance of war resources, but a fierce battle of will and strategy. The final result proved the truth: A nation, however small, with righteousness, determination, and the right path, will inevitably win.

According to historical documents, on March 13, 1954, our troops launched an attack on Dien Bien Phu. The campaign took place in three phases over nearly two months.

In the first phase, from March 13th to March 17th, 1954, our troops cleverly and bravely destroyed the Him Lam and Doc Lap strongholds, forced the surrender of the Ban Keo stronghold, broke through the defensive system on the north and northeast of the Dien Bien Phu fortified complex, and opened the way for our troops to advance into the basin and central area.

In the second phase, from March 30 to April 26, 1954, our troops simultaneously attacked the strongholds in the eastern part of the central sector, expanding the battle lines to the airfield, tightening the encirclement, cutting off and controlling the remaining areas within the Dien Bien Phu fortified complex, controlling the Muong Thanh airfield, and limiting enemy reinforcements.

In the third phase, from May 1st to May 7th, 1954, our troops captured the remaining strongholds in the East, destroyed several strongholds in the West, and launched a general offensive to completely annihilate the Dien Bien Phu fortified complex. At 5:30 PM on May 7th, 1954, General De Castries and his entire staff were captured. The Dien Bien Phu campaign ended in complete victory.

The victory at Dien Bien Phu brought to an end 56 days and nights of "digging tunnels in the mountains, sleeping in bunkers, enduring torrential rain, and eating dried rice rations"—a courageous, resourceful, and creative battle waged by our army and people, shattering the entire strongest fortified complex in Indochina that the French colonialists had painstakingly built as an "impregnable fortress."

Laying the groundwork for signing the Geneva Accords

The victory of the resistance war against French colonial aggression, culminating in the Dien Bien Phu Victory, was a victory of the fervent patriotism and indomitable will of the Vietnamese people, forged over thousands of years of history. It was also a victory of the independent, correct, and creative resistance and military strategy of our Party, led by President Ho Chi Minh.

The victory at Dien Bien Phu laid the fundamental and decisive foundation for the signing of the Geneva Accords on the cessation of hostilities in Vietnam; it opened a new revolutionary phase, transitioning the North to socialism and providing a solid rear base for the struggle to completely liberate the South and unify the country.

The victory at Dien Bien Phu affirmed the correct and creative resistance strategy of the Party and the growth and maturity of the Vietnam People's Army. At the same time, it ended the domination of French colonialism in the three Indochinese countries, marking the beginning of the collapse of old colonialism worldwide .

From the Dien Bien Phu Victory of 1954 to the Great Spring Victory of 1975, our country was free from enemy forces, the land was united, the economy and society continuously developed, the material and spiritual lives of the people throughout the country were increasingly improved, and the achievements of the revolution truly belonged to the people.

Seventy-two years have passed, yet the memory of Dien Bien Phu lives on in the hearts of every Vietnamese person. The spirit of Dien Bien Phu has become a precious legacy and a solid foundation for successive generations to build, protect, and develop Vietnam.

The 72nd anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory is an occasion for the entire Party, people, and army to express gratitude and remembrance to the compatriots, comrades, cadres, and soldiers who bravely sacrificed themselves for the Fatherland; and to express gratitude for the immense, righteous, and heartfelt assistance of international friends. At the same time, it is an opportunity to further cultivate patriotism and national pride; strengthen national unity; awaken the aspiration for peace; combine national strength with the strength of the times to develop the country; and educate the younger generation to uphold the heroic traditions and actively contribute to the cause of building and defending the Fatherland.

To commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 2026), the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum (Dien Bien) is organizing an exhibition of 28 representative sketches about the Dien Bien Phu Campaign by artists Ngo Manh Lan, Pham Thanh Tam, and Duong Huong Minh, with the theme "From battlefield sketches to contemporary colors." Many other activities are also taking place nationwide, such as "Borderland Lessons" and "Youth's Aspirations," to spread the historical value of the Dien Bien Phu victory.


BQ (compiled)

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-polit-xa-hoi/ban-hung-ca-cua-y-chi-va-tri-tue-viet-nam-165369.html