In the tranquil "General's Forest," birds chirp and streams murmur in the gentle mountain breeze, as if remembering the nation's brilliant general and a bygone era of war and glory. There, the simple but enduring Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command Post remains, bearing the story of the strategic brilliance and brilliant decisions of the Campaign Command, headed by Commander-in-Chief Vo Nguyen Giap, which led to a victory "renowned throughout the world and shaking the earth."
The living quarters and workplaces of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command were simple, made of thatch, bamboo, and leaves.
National Highway 6 stretched out before us, leading us to Dien Bien Phu City amidst the gentle mountain breeze and the stirring melodies of songs like, "Through the Northwest, mountains rise endlessly into the distance / Deep streams and high passes, we overcome countless difficulties / Our soldiers obey the orders of our Fatherland"... On this very road, 70 years ago, countless young people, civilian laborers, and volunteer youth enthusiastically transported supplies and ammunition, marching to the front lines with unwavering vows to fight to the death for the Fatherland.
Turning off that road into Muong Phang commune (Dien Bien Phu city), the Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command Post is nestled in the old forest at the foot of Pu Don mountain. This was the third and final stop for the Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command, headed by the elder brother of the Vietnamese People's Army, the brilliant and talented general - General Vo Nguyen Giap. In just 105 days, from January 31st to May 15th, correct decisions and orders were transmitted to the front lines, determining the fate of the French colonialists across the Indochina battlefield.
After the difficult decision to change the strategy from "quick attack, quick victory" to "sure attack, sure victory," General Vo Nguyen Giap and the Campaign Command studied and calculated the decisions for each battle, gradually pushing the French army into a desperate situation. Then, on May 6, 1954, a coded order that would decide their fate was transmitted to the front. This was the order for a general offensive across the entire Dien Bien Phu front, signed by General Vo Nguyen Giap (Ngoc), a photograph of which is still on display at the Dien Bien Phu Historical Victory Museum. The order included the following passage: "The time is set to be 8:30, no delay. At 8:30: Hill A1 will be detonated. Artillery and H6 helicopters will fire the first assault. Infantry from all directions will charge. Hang Cung will immediately suppress enemy artillery. All locations must adhere to the correct time..."
Tourists visit and take souvenir photos in the grounds of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command Post historical site in Muong Phang commune (Dien Bien Phu city).
The following day, the historic moment arrived. Our artillery roared, the explosions shook the earth, and our troops charged into battle. The enemy was in dire straits; relief planes could not land at the airfield, and their escape routes were blocked. The cunning General De Castries, along with thousands of enemy soldiers, huddled like rats in their fortified bunkers, finally surrendered. After "fifty-six days and nights of digging tunnels, sleeping in bunkers, enduring torrential rain, eating meager rations, and blood mixed with mud," our troops planted the "Determined to Fight, Determined to Win" flag given by President Ho Chi Minh on top of De Castries' bunker. The Dien Bien Phu campaign ended in complete victory.
Seventy years have passed since the "glorious victory that shook the world," and at the foot of Mount Pú Đồn, in the primeval forest known by the Mường Phăng people as the "General's Forest," the campaign's command post still stands, simple and solemn. It's a field command and defense system consisting of interconnected trenches, bunkers, and shelters along a small stream, within a natural forest covering 73 hectares. Here, all the shelters—from the workplace of General Võ Nguyên Giáp, Major General Hoàng Văn Thái, the shelter of the Campaign Information Chief Hoàng Đạo Thúy, to the workplace of the Chinese military advisory delegation—are makeshift, constructed from thatch, bamboo, and leaves, a stark contrast to the sturdy De Castries bunker that was conquered by our troops.
According to the tour guide, because his location was not far from the front lines, General Vo Nguyen Giap often carried binoculars and climbed mountains to observe the Muong Thanh valley, witnessing firsthand the historical battles on Him Lam Hill, Doc Lap Hill, and along the Nam Rom River... in order to make the right decisions. It was only much later, after the complete victory of the Dien Bien Phu campaign, that the elders of the Thai Muong Phang village learned that there were soldiers commanding troops in their forest.
War has passed, and today Muong Phang is undergoing renewal and progress, with sturdy stilt houses nestled amidst lush green rice and corn fields, still bearing the glorious imprint of a bygone era of war. The Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command Post is a constant source of Vietnamese people returning from all corners of the country. They come and silently walk on the moss-covered stone steps nestled in the "forest of Generals," and like me, they bow before history, before the hardships, the courage, and the brave sacrifices of our forefathers who made this great victory possible. There, not only is there the correctness and creativity of the Party's and President Ho Chi Minh's strategy and the strategic brilliance of General Vo Nguyen Giap, but also the shining truth that the enemy's steel, bombs, and bullets could not overcome the will and the burning strength of patriotism.
Text and photos: Do Duc
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