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Tighten the siege around Dien Bien Phu.

Việt NamViệt Nam30/03/2024

Exactly 70 years ago, at 5:30 PM on March 30, 1954, our artillery launched a concentrated barrage on enemy bases, marking the beginning of the second phase of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. This was the most crucial phase of the campaign.

Assault units attacking Muong Thanh airfield during the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. (Archival photo)

Capture key high ground.

On our side, after the resounding victory in the first phase (March 13-17, 1954), the Campaign Command immediately directed the entire front to actively prepare for the next phase of fighting.

Starting at 5:30 PM on March 30, 1954, our artillery launched a concentrated barrage on enemy bases, marking the beginning of the second phase of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. On the Northeast front (under the responsibility of the 312th Division), the 141st Regiment, after 1 hour and 30 minutes of fighting, annihilated the enemy's 3rd Battalion and seized Hill E. At the same time, the 209th Regiment also destroyed an enemy battalion and took control of Hill D1. Building on this victory, the 312th Division deployed the 130th Battalion to attack the D2 stronghold, while the units that had just captured Hill E advanced into the hills further inland.

On the eastern flank, the 98th Regiment (316th Division) attacked and seized the C1 stronghold. After 45 minutes of fighting, they killed and captured 140 enemy soldiers. The most intense fighting took place at Hill A1 – the most important stronghold in the eastern cluster of fortified positions, located close to the central area (only 300 meters from the command post of the fortified complex). The 174th Regiment (316th Division) and the 102nd Regiment (308th Division) launched three attacks on A1 (on the nights of March 30, 31, and April 1), but failed to secure the position. By April 4, 1954, only one-third of Hill A1 had been captured. The Campaign Command ordered the 102nd Regiment to withdraw for regrouping and assigned the 174th Regiment to defend the captured portion of the hill.

To the northwest of Muong Thanh airfield, Regiment 36 (Division 308) attacked and destroyed strongholds 106 (night of April 1) and 311 (night of April 2). To the north of the airfield, Regiment 165 (Division 312) captured two-thirds of stronghold 105 (night of April 3), but the enemy later counterattacked and recaptured it completely.

In a difficult situation, on April 5, 1954, the Campaign Command decided to temporarily halt the offensive to consolidate forces. After five days of attack, we had captured the strongholds E, D1, D2, C1, 106, and 311, bringing the offensive and encirclement deeper into enemy territory, but we had not yet captured the strongholds A1 and C2 to the east and stronghold 105 to the north of Muong Thanh airfield.

On the enemy side, on April 8th, the French military command continued to reinforce Dien Bien Phu with the 4th Parachute Battalion. On April 9th, the enemy launched a counterattack and recaptured the western half of Hill C1.

The campaign command decided to continue carrying out the tasks set for the second phase. Our offensive and encirclement positions in all directions were getting closer to the enemy, in some places only 10 to 15 meters away. The areas we captured, such as Hill E and D1, became solid defensive strongholds, with artillery and mortar positions constantly threatening the enemy. On April 16, the trenches of the 312th Division and the 308th Division connected, cutting off the Muong Thanh airfield. On the night of April 18, after many days of siege, the 165th Regiment (312th Division) launched a decisive attack on stronghold 105 north of the Muong Thanh airfield. At 2:10 AM on April 23, after four days and nights of siege, the 36th Regiment destroyed stronghold 206.

From mid-April 1954, in conjunction with sieges and offensives, units actively participated in sniping, organizing deep penetration teams, and parachute capture teams... Artillery and anti-aircraft machine gun units of the divisions advanced deep into the valley, creating an anti-aircraft fire network that controlled the airspace of the remaining enemy aircraft operating in Dien Bien Phu, forcing them to drop supplies at altitudes above 3km. As a result, more than one-third of the supply parachutes fell into our positions.

Creating the conditions for a general offensive.

Our operations inflicted heavy losses on the enemy in terms of manpower and equipment, and caused significant psychological strain. However, with their stubborn nature, the French command tried to reassure their soldiers to hold Dien Bien Phu until around the end of May 1954, which was in the middle of the rainy season. They predicted that the Viet Minh army would be unable to sustain the campaign and would have to withdraw, and that the French would win. The enemy intensified air attacks around their base and our supply lines; at the same time, they used various types of bombs and artificial rain to prevent our resupply.

By the end of April 1954, the second phase of the campaign had lasted nearly a month. The rainy season had begun, and the troops living and fighting in the trenches faced numerous difficulties. In response to this situation, the Party Committee and the Campaign Command convened a conference of Division Party Committee secretaries to review the situation and launch a political and ideological education campaign. They focused on strengthening logistical support, improving living conditions for the troops, and reinforcing the fighting spirit and determination to win among the officers and soldiers.

On April 30, 1954, the second phase of the campaign concluded. We eliminated over 2,500 enemy soldiers and captured most of the important high ground. The French mobile forces at Dien Bien Phu were reduced to only five companies, their occupied area shrinking to 1.3 to 1.7 kilometers in each direction. The enemy was deeply mired in serious difficulties, their morale shaken. We were now in a position to launch a general offensive to completely annihilate the enemy forces at the Dien Bien Phu fortified complex.

Lieutenant Colonel, Doctor Tran Huu Huy
( Institute of Military History - General Staff)


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