April 8, 1954: The Campaign Command determined to continue carrying out the tasks set out for the second phase.

Our artillery soldiers are actively preparing for the opening fire.

To complete the remaining tasks of the second phase well, Campaign Command ordered the units to strengthen the construction of offensive positions and encircle the enemy; the closer our position gets, the tighter the encirclement becomes, the more stubborn the enemy will be in response. Therefore, we must have a good position to encircle and hold out to fight the enemy's counterattack. In addition, we control the airspace of Dien Bien Phu with all kinds of firepower, day and night, organize the struggle for parachute supplies and air reinforcements, destroying the enemy's remaining main support, pushing them into an increasingly dangerous situation...

On the enemy side, they reinforced 167 paratroopers for Dien Bien Phu; dispatched two C119 aircraft to dump all the artillery shells they carried onto the parachute drop zone. By the morning of April 8, 1954, a French unit was sent to Co My village to collect the stray artillery shells, but there was no trace left of the stray artillery shells.

In Saigon, Colonel Gentil, Chief of the French Army's Technical Department, said that after consulting with experts in France, he proposed that artificial rain could be created on Route 41 leading to Dien Bien Phu. Artificial rains, combined with natural thunderstorms, could cause difficulties for trucks carrying supplies to our troops. Although the possibility of this experimental project achieving results was very low, Navarre agreed to mobilize vehicles for the experiment.

On the occasion of the anniversary 70 years of Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954 - May 7, 2024), from today, Nhan Dan Newspaper opens the column "Dien Bien Phu's glorious victory, shaking the world" (in the newspaper every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, from May 1 continuously published) and the column "Dien Bien Phu War Diary" (published daily) to widely propagate throughout our Party, people, and army about the significance, stature, and great historical value of the Dien Bien Phu Victory; affirming the correct and wise leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam , President Ho Chi Minh and the spirit of great national unity as the decisive factor in the victory of the resistance war against the invading French colonialists.

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