International support and assistance for the Dien Bien Phu Campaign

05/07/2024 06:10

In 1953, after analyzing the French military plans and intentions, the Politburo determined to destroy the Dien Bien Phu stronghold, creating a turning point for the war before the US intervened more deeply in Indochina.

To achieve this goal, Vietnam has gradually prepared comprehensively and thoroughly in terms of human and material resources. During that process, there has been important support and assistance from the international community.

Since 1950, after establishing diplomatic relations with China and the Soviet Union, Vietnam has received both material and political assistance from these countries. By the end of 1950, China had provided Vietnam with nearly 4,000 tons of goods, including more than 1,000 tons of weapons and ammunition, 161 tons of military uniforms, 20 tons of medicine and military medical equipment, 71 tons of military supplies, more than 2,600 tons of rice, and 30 trucks. If in 1951, Vietnam received 10-20 tons of various goods from China each month, then in 1952 it increased to 250 tons and continued to increase to 600 tons/month in 1953.

General Vo Nguyen Giap and Chinese advisors: Tran Canh (middle), Vi Quoc Thanh (right), sincere comrades who always supported and made many valuable contributions to the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. Photo archive

To help Vietnam carry out the major campaign, China took on the role of training Vietnam's armed forces. After a period of training by China, two engineering battalions, an artillery regiment and an anti-aircraft artillery regiment mastered techniques and tactics, ensuring enough capacity to participate in the campaign. This was a reliable force that contributed to defeating the enemy at Dien Bien Phu.

China also sent many experienced officers to help Vietnamese soldiers study and train on the spot. The Chinese advisory team trained Vietnamese soldiers in techniques and tactics, especially siege tactics and explosive techniques. In addition, Vietnamese soldiers also learned techniques of mobile combat in the field, joint military operations, etc.

With China's help, by the end of 1953, all Vietnamese army units were trained to improve their combat skills, and were able to skillfully apply traditional tactics (such as raids and ambushes); at the same time, they were able to fight using many different tactics with their command and coordination skills raised to a new level.

China also sent military advisors in many fields (staff, politics, logistics...) together with generals of the Vietnamese Army to conduct surveys, plan, prepare the battlefield and determine combat plans.

To help Vietnamese troops gain more combat experience before an important campaign, the head of the Chinese military advisory delegation, Wei Guoqing, requested the Central Military Commission and the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army to urgently send documents summarizing combat experience for Vietnamese troops to refer to. The Chinese advisor also introduced to Vietnamese troops how to build offensive and encirclement battlefields based on the experience of the Chinese People's Liberation Army; guided Vietnamese engineers to build model battlefields for officers of units to visit and study; and sent trench digging experts to help direct the implementation of trench warfare.

Regarding material aid, “China decided to provide all-out support, whatever the battlefield needed, and how much, and tried to provide it as quickly as possible.” During the 8 weeks of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, China provided more than 8,200 tons of supplies.

It should be noted that China provided 1,700 tons of rice; 3,600 105mm artillery shells (the ammunition that came with 24 artillery pieces brought to Vietnam from the end of 1953) accounted for 18% of the total artillery shells used. Later, China also transferred 7,400 105mm artillery shells to the Vietnam People's Army, even though China's 105mm artillery shells had become scarce after the Korean War...

On the Soviet side, from May 1950 to June 1954, Vietnam received more than 21,500 tons of international aid with a total value of 54 million rubles, including 76 37mm anti-aircraft guns, all rockets (Kachiusa), K50 submachine guns and 685 transport vehicles.

With the great efforts of the Vietnamese army and people and the international help and support, finally, the moment of victory came, at 5:30 p.m. on May 7, 1954, the Vietnam People's Army occupied the Dien Bien Phu base command post, De Castries and the entire enemy General Staff were captured alive. Dien Bien Phu was a complete victory one day before the Geneva Conference on Indochina opened. Thanks to that, the Dulles plan to internationalize the war failed; the internal situation in France was deeply divided, the French colonialists had no other choice but to withdraw from Indochina.

It can be affirmed that the Dien Bien Phu Victory is one of the vivid proofs of combining national strength with the strength of the times, making the most of favorable external factors combined with constantly consolidating and enhancing internal strength. In the thorny and challenging journey of resistance against French colonialism, as well as in the final stage of a life-and-death campaign, the Vietnamese people were not alone. Standing side by side with Vietnam were always progressive democratic forces in the world, especially the enthusiastic and great support and assistance of China and the Soviet Union.

This is an indispensable factor for the victory of the campaign. However, independence, autonomy, self-reliance, self-strengthening, promoting internal strength, originating from national and ethnic interests, valuing national and ethnic interests is the most direct and decisive basis for taking advantage of the strength of the times, promoting the strength of the times most effectively. In the current situation, this lesson continues to shine, continues to show that the national and the era factors are always closely linked together. If combined properly and appropriately, it will create a great strength to elevate the nation, contributing to strongly promoting the progress of the times.

According to QĐND

Source