05/06/2024 14:36
The Dien Bien Phu victory was a brilliant milestone for our army and people, especially the important and decisive role of the young Vietnam People's Army in defeating the professional expeditionary army of the French colonialists.
From the perspective of military art, that victory was not only the art of combat at the Dien Bien Phu Front, but also the result of the art of strategic coordination between battlefields; in which, Inter-zone 5 was an important direction, directly "sharing the fire" with Dien Bien Phu to reach a decisive victory.
Inter-zone 5 coordinated with Dien Bien Phu to smash the "Nava Plan"
After being appointed Commander-in-Chief of the French Army in Indochina, General Nava launched the “Nava Plan” with the ambition to turn the battlefield situation around within 18 months, winning a decisive victory to “end the war with honor”.
With the calculation: "Inter-zone 5, together with its bases on the Bolovens plateau, is a constant threat to the entire South Indochina region... The liberation of this region will have a huge spiritual impact on the entire country of Vietnam, including the areas controlled by the Viet Minh", the French colonialists determined that one of the most important goals in the Winter-Spring of 1953 - 1954 was to completely eliminate the free zone of the Viet Minh in Inter-zone 5, "occupying and progressing to completely pacify this land".
To realize that ambition, the French colonialists urgently adjusted and supplemented units, concentrating troops in Inter-zone 5 with an estimated scale of nearly 50,000 soldiers and powerful equipment to deploy Operation Atlante.
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Faced with the French plot, thoroughly grasping the viewpoint of the Party Central Committee and the General Military Commission "Avoid strong points, attack weak points to disperse forces and destroy enemy forces, expand free zones", the Inter-Zone 5 Committee determined the policy: Actively and boldly develop into the Central Highlands, first of all the North, along with consolidating free zones; at the same time, directing attention to the principle of close coordination between the main battlefield (Northern Central Highlands) and the national battlefield...
Implementing that policy, Inter-zone 5 decided to concentrate its main force to attack the Northern Central Highlands to connect the free zone of the Inter-zone with Lower Laos and Northeastern Cambodia. At the same time, it used the local people's war strategy to hold back, gradually wear down, destroy, and break the enemy's sweeping operations; combined with promoting activities in the enemy's rear, turning the entire Inter-zone into a battlefield, constantly threatening and intimidating the enemy from all directions. This was a wise, bold, and groundbreaking decision, completely surprising the French army, forcing them to switch from an active offensive position to a passive response and suffer a disastrous defeat.
On January 20, 1953, Operation Atlante began with the French landing in Tuy Hoa and gradually expanding the occupied area in Phu Yen. Here, they not only failed to find and destroy our main force, but were also held back, worn down, and destroyed by our people's war and guerrilla warfare. On January 26, 1953, Inter-zone 5 launched the Northern Central Highlands Campaign. With the stormy offensive spirit of the Inter-zone's army and people, after just over a week, Kon Tum province was completely liberated; the free zone of Inter-zone 5 was connected to Central and Lower Laos and Northeastern Cambodia, and the danger of the Indochina battlefield being divided in two, the thing the French feared most, was present.
Despite losing Kon Tum, the French still believed that if they continued to attack the free zone, we would have to withdraw our troops to deal with it. Therefore, on March 12, 1953, they sent troops to land in Quy Nhon, combining with the troops from the South to attack and occupy Binh Dinh. Exactly one day later, the Dien Bien Phu Campaign was launched, and consecutive important victories further encouraged our troops to advance and destroy the enemy, making the French troops on the Inter-Zone 5 battlefield even more confused and wavering. In that atmosphere, the army and people of Binh Dinh fought bravely, forcing the enemy to huddle in Quy Nhon town, failing to complete the goal of connecting Quy Nhon with An Khe and Pleiku as planned.
Continuing the victory of the second phase of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, Inter-zone 5 continuously stepped up attacks on the enemy in all directions. In the direction of the Northern Central Highlands, we continued to cut off Route 19, surrounded and strongly threatened An Khe, Pleiku, blocked reinforcements, causing them heavy losses. In the direction of Phu Yen, Regiment 803 moved to operate in the West of the Province, coordinating with local troops and guerrillas to continuously attack and wear down thousands of enemies.
In the direction of the Southern Central Highlands, the local troops of Dak Lak stepped up their attacks on the positions around Buon Ma Thuot; the local troops of Lam Dong also divided many positions on Route 20, forcing the French to send troops from Phu Yen to coordinate in protecting this area. In the areas temporarily occupied by the enemy, the local troops also operated vigorously, coordinating smoothly with the main battlefield of the Northern Central Highlands. The smooth, close coordination on the battlefields significantly reduced the pace of the French attacks in the free zone; at the same time, completely pinned them down in the Inter-Zone 5 battlefield, not giving them the opportunity to withdraw troops to rescue Dien Bien Phu.
Nava himself had to admit: “The Viet Minh attacks on Central and Southern Laos and the Central Highlands pinned down our forces there and prevented any mobilization of mobile troops, no matter where they were stationed. We could not withdraw our forces from any battlefield, and even newly formed units were all sent into battle.”
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On May 7, 1954, the Dien Bien Phu Campaign won a great victory, more than 16,000 French troops were killed and captured, the "Nava Plan" basically failed. Grasping the revolutionary offensive ideology, promoting the victory spirit of Dien Bien Phu, the Inter-zone Party Committee 5 directed to continue to step up attacks on the enemy on all battlefields, creating retaliatory and dangerous attacks of important military and political significance, contributing to forcing the French colonialists to sign the Geneva Agreement.
After more than 7 months of continuous fighting, the army and people of Inter-Zone 5 fought hundreds of large and small battles, eliminating more than 28,000 enemies, capturing 7,500 guns, 400 tons of ammunition, 373 military vehicles of all kinds; completely liberating Kon Tum province and most of Gia Lai province; the free zone was consolidated and expanded to the south of Cam Le river. More importantly, the Inter-Zone 5 battlefield coordinated smoothly and seamlessly with the main battlefield of Dien Bien Phu and other strategic directions, pushing the French army into a state of dispersion, restraint, and inability to mobilize to rescue each other.
The victory of this front all had the role of "sharing the fire" of the other front; together holding back the enemy, not allowing them to support each other; together competing to kill the enemy, making achievements, and winning. This was one of the direct causes leading to the defeat of the French army at Dien Bien Phu.
Armed forces of Military Region 5 promote Dien Bien Phu spirit in the new era
Promoting the heroic spirit of Dien Bien Phu, throughout the process of building, fighting and growing, the armed forces of Military Region 5 always firmly grasped the revolutionary offensive ideology, united and closely coordinated with the battlefields of the whole country to create resounding victories, such as: Ba Gia, Nui Thanh, Van Tuong, Pleime (in 1965), Dak To - Tan Canh (in 1972), Nong Son - Thuong Duc (in 1974); especially, the unique "pressure point" blow of Buon Ma Thuot in the Central Highlands Campaign (in 1975), excellently opening the General Offensive and Uprising in Spring 1975 and the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, gloriously ending the nation's cause of fighting against the US and saving the country.
The Dien Bien Phu spirit was also promoted, creating great spiritual strength for the armed forces of Military Region 5 to coordinate with the Vietnamese volunteer troops to gain glorious victories in carrying out their noble international duty, helping the Cambodian people to overthrow the reactionary and genocidal Pol Pot-Ieng Sary group, reviving the country and the nation. In the new period, that spirit was transformed into a political and spiritual resource that permeated every officer and soldier, creating great motivation for the Military Region to successfully complete its military, national defense, and national defense tasks.
Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, proud of its glorious tradition, the armed forces of Military Region 5 are increasingly aware of their responsibility to continue to inherit and promote that tradition to a new height. In particular, they continue to thoroughly grasp and comprehensively and effectively implement the Party's viewpoints, guidelines, and military, national defense, and Fatherland protection strategies, focusing on: Resolution No. 44-NQ/TW, dated November 24, 2023 of the Party Central Committee (13th tenure) on the Fatherland Protection Strategy in the new situation, Cyber Security Strategy, and National Border Protection Strategy; the Law on National Defense, Decree No. 21/2019/ND-CP, dated February 22, 2019 of the Government on building defense zones, and resolutions and directives of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense on military and national defense tasks. Accurately forecast the situation and national defense and security situations, promptly advise the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense on flexible and correct responses, and effectively resolve complex issues and situations arising in the area.
Strengthen leadership and direction to improve the quality of military and national defense work, build solid defense for Military Regions, provincial and municipal defense areas in the new situation. Focus on researching, adjusting the battle situation and building potentials in basic, interconnected and solid defense areas in each locality. Actively and proactively coordinate closely with local Party committees, authorities and units in the locality to take care of building all-people national defense, all-people defense posture associated with people's security posture, solid "people's hearts posture"; highly promote patriotism, traditions of solidarity, independence, self-reliance, self-strengthening, overcoming difficulties, creating combined strength in performing tasks.
Implement well the Grassroots Democracy Regulations; thoroughly resolve pressing issues among the people,... contribute to building the great national unity bloc; maintain and strengthen the solidarity between the army and the people, and solidarity and friendship with the people and armies of Laos and Cambodia.
Focus on building a comprehensively strong, "exemplary, typical" armed force of the Military Region with comprehensive quality, high fighting strength, absolute loyalty to the Fatherland, the Party, the State, and the People, ready to receive and excellently complete assigned tasks. Strengthen the work of building a strong Military Region Party Committee in terms of politics, ideology, ethics, organization and cadres; constantly improve the leadership capacity and fighting strength of Party committees and organizations at all levels, and promote the role of the "nucleus" in leading the unit.
Promote breakthroughs in improving the quality of training, education and training; build discipline, strictly comply with the law and discipline, and ensure unit safety. Raise vigilance, effectively prevent and combat plots and tricks of "peaceful evolution" and violent overthrow by hostile forces, contributing to maintaining political stability, order and social security in the area, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for sustainable development of the Central Highlands - Central region and the whole country.
According to QĐND
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