Hill A1 - from a place where blood stained every inch of land to a tourist attraction that attracts thousands of people

Seventy years ago, as the Dien Bien Phu Campaign entered its decisive phase, Hill A1 was the site of some of the fiercest battles. Today, this historical site has become a popular tourist attraction drawing thousands of visitors.

Hill A1 (called Eliane 2 by the French) was a fortified stronghold belonging to the system of defensive high points in the eastern part of the central sector of the Dien Bien Phu fortified complex. The A1 National Martyrs' Cemetery is located at the foot of the hill. Photo: Van Thanh Chuong

This strategically important stronghold was located approximately 500 meters as the crow flies from General De Castries' headquarters, and therefore a large number of troops and heavy firepower were deployed there.

The French divided the A1 hill stronghold into three defensive lines: the outermost line had the most troops, the middle line concentrated firepower, and the innermost line at the highest point of the hill served as the defensive line and command post.

To liberate Dien Bien Phu, our army determined that we had to capture Hill A1 at all costs. Therefore, two regiments (Regiment 174, belonging to Division 316, and Regiment 102, Division 308) were assigned the crucial task of destroying this important stronghold.

The battle at Hill A1 lasted 39 days and nights, beginning on the afternoon of March 30, 1954. Our forces and the enemy fought for every inch of land and every trench while the enemy continuously counterattacked. Here, more than 2,500 of the nation's finest sons and daughters perished, their blood soaking every inch of the ground.

At 8:30 PM on May 6, 1954, when the 1,000kg explosive charge was detonated, shaking the entire battlefield, it signaled the final general offensive of the Vietnamese army.

With a spirit of determination to fight and win, at exactly 4:30 AM on May 7, 1954, our troops took control of Hill A1, and by the afternoon of May 7, 1954, our soldiers had captured the entire command headquarters of the French army at the Dien Bien Phu fortified complex, achieving a victory that "shook the world and resonated across continents."

Seventy years after the Dien Bien Phu Victory , the A1 Hill historical site has been renovated many times and has become a must-see destination for any visitor coming to the historic land of Dien Bien Phu.

Hill A1 is also one of the most important component sites of the Dien Bien Phu Battlefield, a special national historical site.

Every year from March to May – the period of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign – Hill A1 attracts tens of thousands of domestic and international tourists. Among them are many veterans from all over the country.

Especially since the introduction of direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Dien Bien Airport, many tourists from southern provinces have had the opportunity to visit the historical land of Dien Bien for the first time. According to statistics from the Dien Bien Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in late March and April, the A1 Hill historical site welcomed tens of thousands of visitors on some days.