jhungary
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Last Stand – It's a concept of the ultimate, the poetic way to end. Fights or Dies. The concept had been intriguing to me for as long as I personally lead troop in battle, I have not been lucky (or unlucky enough) to had my own last stand moment, but if you look at it, the courage, the determination, the excitement. The moment when you are against overwhelming odds and the moment life is hanging at a balance, by a thin thread.
Not all decimation of a unit is a result of a last stand, last stand is defined as a unit facing overwhelming odds against a superior enemy and escape is either impossible or not feasible, or tactically requires staying behind (rear guard action)
Most Last stand is either the result of a siege or a campaign that goes horribly wrong and resulting retreating is impossible. Today, last stand kind of battle is a rare thing, as modern laws of war prevent a decimation of a unit that’s no longer combat effective and the studies of advance Military Planning always give priority to exit strategy. Last Stand is a thing of the Past.
Ok, so, let’s get back on track shall we? Today battle is a very close cousin with the last one I did a week ago. It happened in the same country, 13 years apart where the same person commanded virtually the same army twice.
Background of the battle :
Dien Bien Phu has happened during the last stage of the First Indo-China war, where the french is constantly losing ground and losing grip of the whole situation, the prospect of a victory is immensely important for the french, and their prayer got asnwered in a form of Battle of Na San.
Na San (Nà Sản) battle is a set piece fortress defence battle, a decisive battle that took place between the French Force and the Viet Minh ended in sounding French Success. The attacking force is decimated and the French were safely evacuated. The french realised by isolating a post, the Viet Minh would attack it with full force, the Viet Force will come out and fight instead of doing hit and run attack, and the french would just need to break the frontal assault, which is easy enough with their superior and massive ground and air support.
The strategy, known as Hedgehog, is a kind of Hammer and Anvil tacticsd modified with Modern equipment, after the infantry pinning the enemy, instead of a cavalry charge, the french uses their massive airpower to decimate the enemy.
The fact that Na San is a great success for the french (to which Vo never admit defeat in Na San) were considered so important that the french decided to duplicate thier strategy and try to recreate the success one more time, but this time would be of bigger scale, and in a place called DIEN BIEN PHU
Dien bien Phu is located in the NW corner of Vietnam, near the Laotian border, which geographically perfect for such a baiting attack. It was closer to the allied Laos and the post, an old airstrip, was surrounded by multiple range of mountain.which the french believe it would act as a natural barrier to funnel a large enemy siege force. However the truth is very far from the expected. In tactical term, the location is a diaster. Where the post is remote and isolated, that would also mean the post is harder to resupply from. Ranged at 120 mile from the nearest resupply depot. It would take about 2 hours for a return flight in case of a siege.
Also, the mountain range which would mean the enemy is harder to get in would also mean the reinforcement is even harder to come in when needed.
In all, morale is high and the plan to fortify Dien Bien Phu is green lighted. And an epic siege awaits.
Deposition of Force
The french composition of 15,000 troop in 7 defensive pocket or position and defended by -
Anne-Marie - 3rd Thi Battalion
Béatrice - 3rd Battalion/13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade
Claudine - 1st Battalion/13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade
Dominique - 3rd Battalion/3rd Algerian Rifle Regiment
Eliane - 1st Battalion/4th Moroccan Rifle Regiment and 2nd Tai Battalion
Gabrielle - 5th Battalion/7th Algerian Rifle Regiment
Huguette - 1st Battalion/2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment
Isabelle - 2nd Battalion/1st Algerian Rifle Regiment and 3rd Battalion/3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
Those bases were supplment with their own artillery battery, airborne element and tanks regiments. As well as support unit such as Medical, Logistic, Intelligence and Engineer
Vietnamese Order of battl comprise of 4 Infantry Division, with supporting Artillery Brigade and assorted Engineer/Medica personnel, numbered appoximately 45,000 men
Tactical Consideration
For this operation. the tactical requirment for the French troop is to inflict heavy casuality of the Vietnamese Troop. Draw them out for a set piece battle. With infantry fixing enemy infantry position, the artillery and the Air force would start pounding the enemy position and maximize the casualty. The importantce of the defence lies in the river that run thru the position, the position would have been cutted into 2 and each part would directly support the other in case of an attack. Chances of an vietnam general attack against all held position is not high as the river and the mountain range prevent any co-ordinated movement against all french position at the same time.
The Vietnamese however, are not in a hurry, their requirement is to laid siege to the position, and mounting attack, as the wooded high land area surrounding the base were not yet occupied by the french, the Vietnamese will first occupied those highland and lay siege to the position. In effect, a turkey shoot when the siege were to begin. And the initiation is now on the Vietnamese side as they are the one who have the next move, as the french dug in
Start of Battle
Beatrice - The battle started with outpost Beatrice, at March 13, 1954, with the opening salvo score a direct hit on the command post. Killing the Battalion Commander and the entire command staff. While the Vietminh have the high ground overlooking the base, they place their gun slightly reverse of the crest, so for the Vietnam crew can see clearly the French base, where the french do not know where the Vietnamese gun was.
The battle for beatrice lasted for 12 hours, the defences is collasped on midnight March 14, French legion suffered 500 casualty and the Frenc troop were beaten back to either Gabrielle or Dominque
Gabrielle - with the fall of Beatrice, the outpost Gabrielle were no longer mutually supported with any french garrison and were now exposed and isolated to any Vietnamese attack. Follwoing the success of Beatrice, the Vietnamese attack preceded with Artillery Fire from the hill, following by the infantry attack.
Again duplicating their previous success, the Viet Minh agains score a direct hit on the command bunker and render the whole commanding element incapicitated.
Relief comes in the form of the 5th Vietnamese Para Battalion, but it's a little too late, the post were abandonded the next day, at March 15
Anne-Marie - Now with both Gabrielle and Beatrice gone, the tai troops were unease about their position in Anne-Marie, with propagander material distruibuted amongst the tai troop, they deserted their post and simply went home, Anna-Marie were evacuated on March 17.
Cease Fire - After the Capture of Anne-Marie, the remaining outpost in the form of a large Perimeter made up of Huguette, Claudine, Dominque and Eliane. At this point, the Vietminh would stop the assault and close the noose with the French and consolidate their gain. Effectively cut off Isabelle with the rest of the out post.
Eliane and Dominque - Renewed offensive came on March 30, trying to replicate the success with Gabrielle and Beatrice, the Vietminh troop again start attacking by prepertory artillery fire, graduate to infantry assault. However, both Eliane and Dominque is not isolated pocket such as Gabrielle and Beatrice, but rather an inter-locked defensive position, the prospect of success with a frontal attack is slim, hence trench warfare are used on these position.
The Vietminh did relative good on the opening attack, however, once Dominque 1, 2 and Eliane 1 felt to Vietminh, the rest of the position provide a superior supporting fire (as perimeter got smaller, french supporting fire now more converge) and the French troop now got pushed into a corner and now fighting teneaciously against the Vietnamese counterpart. While attacking Dominque 3 and and Eliane 2, the French reinforcement arrived (The only reinforcement of the battle) and tanks and gunnery support help the French Legion, Para and French-Vietnese Garrsion push the Vietminh back from their attacking position.
Huguette - Huguette is the outpost that overlooking and controlling the French Airfield, Huguette position is especially important as that was the "Lifeline" for which Supply can be flown in by air. Huguette is defended by the elite 2nd FFL battalion and they were attacked at the same days of the renewed offensive.
At this point, as with the early success enjoyed by the Vietminh to Eliane and Dominque, the success stalled after reinforcement held out key position of Huguette after the initial battle. The Vietminh then resort to tunnel and trench to surround the whole position of Huguette and trying to sieze it that way.
While the Vietminh dug tunnel, french start pushing resupply and troop forward and trying to retake their lost position, as with the Vietnamese, the french started off well, and were able to retake several key position both side of the river, however, with almost no reinforcement to spare. They were unable to hold out any counter attack launched by the Vietnamese. Thus in the process ceding those territories back to vietminh
It was at this point, the French realised that they were surrounded by trenches and Huguette 1 and Huguette 6 were totally surrounded. Both position would later felt to Vietminh as holding those position would become impossible with French ever dwindle manpower and resource. At the end of april, only Huguette 4 and 5 were held by the French, making the Airstrip is all but felt to the Vietminh control.
The Final Assault - Just after Labor day, Eliane 1, Dominque 3 and Huguette 5 felt to the enemy. Now with Dominque complete gone and only Eliane 2 and Huguette 4 stand in the way from a Vietminh victories. All hope is lost. With the airfield effectively in Vietminh hand, the supply could not even para-dropped to the french and reinforcement from Isabelle cutted off. French last courages act was witness for the whole battle (Probably the whole war) The Foreign Legion was dropped, by their wishes, to be with their besieged brothers even tho the situation has already casted and there are no return ticket. Where the jump would literally branded as pointless as the Para that jump would normally landed in Vietminh area and be wiped out. The act is the last heroic act that the war witnessed by the french, after that, no more supply, no more reinforcement could be flown in, and the last position is then decimated, and the French Surrendered.
All but 70 men (From Isabelle) are either killed or captured. Making this the last stand of the garrison
What went wrong??
For french, everything went wrong when they decided to jump in Dien Bien Phu first time in 1953. The location is isolated, indeed that would mean it would be harder for enemy to attack you, that would also mean you would have a hard time supporting your own troop.
When the area restricted to 1 or 2 approach, that mean it will be the same for you to resupply and reinforce your own troop with the same 1 or 2 approach, the only different is, this time the Vietminh would be waiting on the french, as the Vietnamese was on the outside and the French was on the inside, it would be nothing for the vietnamese but it would mean the french need to come from the outside to the inside to supply the garrison and replace the casualty, which is hard to do.
Second major mistake the french committed is they do not take the high ground, if you put the above deposition map on top of a topogical map such as the one below, you will know the Base (Dien Bien Phu Grid 237-029) is the lowland surrounded by hills that goes up to 1000 meter high.
Those highland were not contested nor occupied by the french at the begining of the operation. Where it was occupied by Vietminh position. When they successfully put guns there, then their gun/gunner would be directly stare at the French Base, and they can direct their own guns toward their target individually. For French, since they did not see those gun (Which were setup on the reverse slope) The french can only rely on counter battery fire and indirect fire with observer to fire on target. Which effectively mean enemy piece single against groupped gun with the vietnamese side have a direct advantage on marking their own target.
The 3rd mistake the French committed is the way they resupply the base, while half of those fault goes to the way they did not contest the surrounding high ground, And half of it goes to not enough supporting air force to supress AA before supply plane move in. This is simply becasue the enemy AA is too concentrate (A direct effect from smaller french perimeter) and the French Air Force is small and ancient.
The last mistake the French made is that they underestimate the Vietminh, from organising an co-ordinated attacks and the ability of Vietminh to deploy their artillery within such a range of the french base. The French also did not realise the key to a defence of the Bien Bien Phu should be one of the "Mobile fight" rather than a statistic fight. The strategy they use is to let Vietminh have the initiative everytime they started the attack. Hence in military term, Vietnamese would have the tempo on their own, and French were always in a up-tempo game. Which would only allow the french to counter the move done by the vietnamese. Not making their own move where the vietnamese were to counter them.
It would not work in the normal situation, it would especially not work if the french are in the static and they are following the game plan of the vietnamese and it will only lead to a result that the vietnamese wanted. For what it can do, it would be wiser for the French to lead the Vietnamese, and let them fight the french gameplan, the french can do it by moving their static defence into a more mobile defence. Active patrol, agressive attacks, those are what lacking from the whole battle from the French.
The only think french did well in this engagement is for their static defense. It was a wrong gameplan to begin with, but they do deploy their defensive measure right and hang on for as much as they could, Without the intersecting fire and the mutually supporting outpost position, their garrison would have been overrun months ago. The fact that even with a bad game plan, they still can make the Vietnamese bleed so much so they have to send in reinforcement is an indication of doing something right.
The Vietnamese did a exceptionally good job in this engagement, they play their game right, have achieve everything they set out to do and resulting a resounding success. The only thing i would say they did nt do well in the whole battle is the way they rely on frontal assault heavily.
Had French have more troop in reserve, vietminh would have lost the battle. Had French had more airpower and fire power, they would also had lose the battle.The way the vietnamese allow the french to cut them in with their artillery is risky, a siege is a siege, when you play with a upper hand on a siege, you got to have patient. And vietminh did not display that. If i were the Vietminh, i would probably play it long and play a better waiting game. Do a bit battle of attrition and wind down the french will to fight, "this is my country and we are not in a hurry" would be my way of game, that would certainly lead to lower casualty and a easier fight. This is the exact reason why this tactics (Frontal assault) would not work on the American 13 years later.
Dien Bien Phu vs Khe Sanh??
Many people had asked the same question, why one battle is a success and the other is not. Fought from the same person, same strategy and more or less same unit. Why this is a success in Dien Bien Phu but not in Khe Sanh?? Here is a comparson between the 2.
1.) In Dien Bien Phu, the French have taken the fort just 5 months prior. When they are not used to the surrounding environment. They do not have time to plan the defense and secure the surrounding area. In Khe Sanh, US occupied KSCB from the on set of the war, they would have 3 years to plan a possible invasion and attacks. Which is more than enough.
2.) French resupply point from Dien Bien Phu is 120 mile away, compare to the US point just over 30 miles aways. For every resupply flight that French at DBP made, the US would have 4 flight in.
3.) The size of the Air Force is different. French have a small airforce supporting DIen Bien Phu, while the US Air Force supporting Khe Sanh is at least 5 times larger. Thus, at least 5 times more supply to run to the base. Also combat element of USAF is a lot larger than just a few squadron of Hellcat and Bearcat, that would work a lot better for Counter AA fire and SEAD mission.
4.) The high ground in DBP was not occupied, hence a more compacted strong point the French is having. The vietnamese also have overlooking position on the french base camp at those hill. At Khe Sanh, the US occupied those high ground and that would force the vietnamese support further away (as the US can spot those vietnamese artillery on hill top) while vNVA/NLF does not have a good indirect fire capability (With a spoter spoting target for a whole group, which require high level of co-ordination.) the supporting fire from NVA/NLF are less concentrated and less accurated than the one gave in DBP (Where most CP were eliminated with first salvo of artillery fire and killing/incapacitating the whole french command structure)
5.) The goal is differnet. Where in DBP, the vietnamese goal is a defeat of the french there, nothing else. Hence General Vo are free to use whatever mean necessary to destroy the french. In Khe Sanh, the situation is differnet as now the NVA/NLF would also need to consider the war/battle being fought elsewhere. Resource got drawn away to the bigger Tet Offensive, regardless of the true intention of NVA/NLF, General Vo would fight the American with ine hand tied behind his back.
Regardless of the way the battle being handled, in the end of the day, French lose in hoping to create another Na San, while the vietnamese won, they do win the battle while paying a high price. But a victory is victory nonetheness. And this is a well and truely deserved for the Vietnamese.
@Viet @AUSTERLITZ @Slav Defence @asad71
This is the anticipated Battle of Dien Bien Phu you guys interested in, come check this out
Not all decimation of a unit is a result of a last stand, last stand is defined as a unit facing overwhelming odds against a superior enemy and escape is either impossible or not feasible, or tactically requires staying behind (rear guard action)
Most Last stand is either the result of a siege or a campaign that goes horribly wrong and resulting retreating is impossible. Today, last stand kind of battle is a rare thing, as modern laws of war prevent a decimation of a unit that’s no longer combat effective and the studies of advance Military Planning always give priority to exit strategy. Last Stand is a thing of the Past.
Ok, so, let’s get back on track shall we? Today battle is a very close cousin with the last one I did a week ago. It happened in the same country, 13 years apart where the same person commanded virtually the same army twice.
Background of the battle :
Dien Bien Phu has happened during the last stage of the First Indo-China war, where the french is constantly losing ground and losing grip of the whole situation, the prospect of a victory is immensely important for the french, and their prayer got asnwered in a form of Battle of Na San.
Na San (Nà Sản) battle is a set piece fortress defence battle, a decisive battle that took place between the French Force and the Viet Minh ended in sounding French Success. The attacking force is decimated and the French were safely evacuated. The french realised by isolating a post, the Viet Minh would attack it with full force, the Viet Force will come out and fight instead of doing hit and run attack, and the french would just need to break the frontal assault, which is easy enough with their superior and massive ground and air support.
The strategy, known as Hedgehog, is a kind of Hammer and Anvil tacticsd modified with Modern equipment, after the infantry pinning the enemy, instead of a cavalry charge, the french uses their massive airpower to decimate the enemy.
The fact that Na San is a great success for the french (to which Vo never admit defeat in Na San) were considered so important that the french decided to duplicate thier strategy and try to recreate the success one more time, but this time would be of bigger scale, and in a place called DIEN BIEN PHU
Dien bien Phu is located in the NW corner of Vietnam, near the Laotian border, which geographically perfect for such a baiting attack. It was closer to the allied Laos and the post, an old airstrip, was surrounded by multiple range of mountain.which the french believe it would act as a natural barrier to funnel a large enemy siege force. However the truth is very far from the expected. In tactical term, the location is a diaster. Where the post is remote and isolated, that would also mean the post is harder to resupply from. Ranged at 120 mile from the nearest resupply depot. It would take about 2 hours for a return flight in case of a siege.
Also, the mountain range which would mean the enemy is harder to get in would also mean the reinforcement is even harder to come in when needed.
In all, morale is high and the plan to fortify Dien Bien Phu is green lighted. And an epic siege awaits.
Deposition of Force
The french composition of 15,000 troop in 7 defensive pocket or position and defended by -
Anne-Marie - 3rd Thi Battalion
Béatrice - 3rd Battalion/13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade
Claudine - 1st Battalion/13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade
Dominique - 3rd Battalion/3rd Algerian Rifle Regiment
Eliane - 1st Battalion/4th Moroccan Rifle Regiment and 2nd Tai Battalion
Gabrielle - 5th Battalion/7th Algerian Rifle Regiment
Huguette - 1st Battalion/2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment
Isabelle - 2nd Battalion/1st Algerian Rifle Regiment and 3rd Battalion/3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
Those bases were supplment with their own artillery battery, airborne element and tanks regiments. As well as support unit such as Medical, Logistic, Intelligence and Engineer
Vietnamese Order of battl comprise of 4 Infantry Division, with supporting Artillery Brigade and assorted Engineer/Medica personnel, numbered appoximately 45,000 men
Tactical Consideration
For this operation. the tactical requirment for the French troop is to inflict heavy casuality of the Vietnamese Troop. Draw them out for a set piece battle. With infantry fixing enemy infantry position, the artillery and the Air force would start pounding the enemy position and maximize the casualty. The importantce of the defence lies in the river that run thru the position, the position would have been cutted into 2 and each part would directly support the other in case of an attack. Chances of an vietnam general attack against all held position is not high as the river and the mountain range prevent any co-ordinated movement against all french position at the same time.
The Vietnamese however, are not in a hurry, their requirement is to laid siege to the position, and mounting attack, as the wooded high land area surrounding the base were not yet occupied by the french, the Vietnamese will first occupied those highland and lay siege to the position. In effect, a turkey shoot when the siege were to begin. And the initiation is now on the Vietnamese side as they are the one who have the next move, as the french dug in
Start of Battle
Beatrice - The battle started with outpost Beatrice, at March 13, 1954, with the opening salvo score a direct hit on the command post. Killing the Battalion Commander and the entire command staff. While the Vietminh have the high ground overlooking the base, they place their gun slightly reverse of the crest, so for the Vietnam crew can see clearly the French base, where the french do not know where the Vietnamese gun was.
The battle for beatrice lasted for 12 hours, the defences is collasped on midnight March 14, French legion suffered 500 casualty and the Frenc troop were beaten back to either Gabrielle or Dominque
Gabrielle - with the fall of Beatrice, the outpost Gabrielle were no longer mutually supported with any french garrison and were now exposed and isolated to any Vietnamese attack. Follwoing the success of Beatrice, the Vietnamese attack preceded with Artillery Fire from the hill, following by the infantry attack.
Again duplicating their previous success, the Viet Minh agains score a direct hit on the command bunker and render the whole commanding element incapicitated.
Relief comes in the form of the 5th Vietnamese Para Battalion, but it's a little too late, the post were abandonded the next day, at March 15
Anne-Marie - Now with both Gabrielle and Beatrice gone, the tai troops were unease about their position in Anne-Marie, with propagander material distruibuted amongst the tai troop, they deserted their post and simply went home, Anna-Marie were evacuated on March 17.
Cease Fire - After the Capture of Anne-Marie, the remaining outpost in the form of a large Perimeter made up of Huguette, Claudine, Dominque and Eliane. At this point, the Vietminh would stop the assault and close the noose with the French and consolidate their gain. Effectively cut off Isabelle with the rest of the out post.
Eliane and Dominque - Renewed offensive came on March 30, trying to replicate the success with Gabrielle and Beatrice, the Vietminh troop again start attacking by prepertory artillery fire, graduate to infantry assault. However, both Eliane and Dominque is not isolated pocket such as Gabrielle and Beatrice, but rather an inter-locked defensive position, the prospect of success with a frontal attack is slim, hence trench warfare are used on these position.
The Vietminh did relative good on the opening attack, however, once Dominque 1, 2 and Eliane 1 felt to Vietminh, the rest of the position provide a superior supporting fire (as perimeter got smaller, french supporting fire now more converge) and the French troop now got pushed into a corner and now fighting teneaciously against the Vietnamese counterpart. While attacking Dominque 3 and and Eliane 2, the French reinforcement arrived (The only reinforcement of the battle) and tanks and gunnery support help the French Legion, Para and French-Vietnese Garrsion push the Vietminh back from their attacking position.
Huguette - Huguette is the outpost that overlooking and controlling the French Airfield, Huguette position is especially important as that was the "Lifeline" for which Supply can be flown in by air. Huguette is defended by the elite 2nd FFL battalion and they were attacked at the same days of the renewed offensive.
At this point, as with the early success enjoyed by the Vietminh to Eliane and Dominque, the success stalled after reinforcement held out key position of Huguette after the initial battle. The Vietminh then resort to tunnel and trench to surround the whole position of Huguette and trying to sieze it that way.
While the Vietminh dug tunnel, french start pushing resupply and troop forward and trying to retake their lost position, as with the Vietnamese, the french started off well, and were able to retake several key position both side of the river, however, with almost no reinforcement to spare. They were unable to hold out any counter attack launched by the Vietnamese. Thus in the process ceding those territories back to vietminh
It was at this point, the French realised that they were surrounded by trenches and Huguette 1 and Huguette 6 were totally surrounded. Both position would later felt to Vietminh as holding those position would become impossible with French ever dwindle manpower and resource. At the end of april, only Huguette 4 and 5 were held by the French, making the Airstrip is all but felt to the Vietminh control.
The Final Assault - Just after Labor day, Eliane 1, Dominque 3 and Huguette 5 felt to the enemy. Now with Dominque complete gone and only Eliane 2 and Huguette 4 stand in the way from a Vietminh victories. All hope is lost. With the airfield effectively in Vietminh hand, the supply could not even para-dropped to the french and reinforcement from Isabelle cutted off. French last courages act was witness for the whole battle (Probably the whole war) The Foreign Legion was dropped, by their wishes, to be with their besieged brothers even tho the situation has already casted and there are no return ticket. Where the jump would literally branded as pointless as the Para that jump would normally landed in Vietminh area and be wiped out. The act is the last heroic act that the war witnessed by the french, after that, no more supply, no more reinforcement could be flown in, and the last position is then decimated, and the French Surrendered.
All but 70 men (From Isabelle) are either killed or captured. Making this the last stand of the garrison
What went wrong??
For french, everything went wrong when they decided to jump in Dien Bien Phu first time in 1953. The location is isolated, indeed that would mean it would be harder for enemy to attack you, that would also mean you would have a hard time supporting your own troop.
When the area restricted to 1 or 2 approach, that mean it will be the same for you to resupply and reinforce your own troop with the same 1 or 2 approach, the only different is, this time the Vietminh would be waiting on the french, as the Vietnamese was on the outside and the French was on the inside, it would be nothing for the vietnamese but it would mean the french need to come from the outside to the inside to supply the garrison and replace the casualty, which is hard to do.
Second major mistake the french committed is they do not take the high ground, if you put the above deposition map on top of a topogical map such as the one below, you will know the Base (Dien Bien Phu Grid 237-029) is the lowland surrounded by hills that goes up to 1000 meter high.
Those highland were not contested nor occupied by the french at the begining of the operation. Where it was occupied by Vietminh position. When they successfully put guns there, then their gun/gunner would be directly stare at the French Base, and they can direct their own guns toward their target individually. For French, since they did not see those gun (Which were setup on the reverse slope) The french can only rely on counter battery fire and indirect fire with observer to fire on target. Which effectively mean enemy piece single against groupped gun with the vietnamese side have a direct advantage on marking their own target.
The 3rd mistake the French committed is the way they resupply the base, while half of those fault goes to the way they did not contest the surrounding high ground, And half of it goes to not enough supporting air force to supress AA before supply plane move in. This is simply becasue the enemy AA is too concentrate (A direct effect from smaller french perimeter) and the French Air Force is small and ancient.
The last mistake the French made is that they underestimate the Vietminh, from organising an co-ordinated attacks and the ability of Vietminh to deploy their artillery within such a range of the french base. The French also did not realise the key to a defence of the Bien Bien Phu should be one of the "Mobile fight" rather than a statistic fight. The strategy they use is to let Vietminh have the initiative everytime they started the attack. Hence in military term, Vietnamese would have the tempo on their own, and French were always in a up-tempo game. Which would only allow the french to counter the move done by the vietnamese. Not making their own move where the vietnamese were to counter them.
It would not work in the normal situation, it would especially not work if the french are in the static and they are following the game plan of the vietnamese and it will only lead to a result that the vietnamese wanted. For what it can do, it would be wiser for the French to lead the Vietnamese, and let them fight the french gameplan, the french can do it by moving their static defence into a more mobile defence. Active patrol, agressive attacks, those are what lacking from the whole battle from the French.
The only think french did well in this engagement is for their static defense. It was a wrong gameplan to begin with, but they do deploy their defensive measure right and hang on for as much as they could, Without the intersecting fire and the mutually supporting outpost position, their garrison would have been overrun months ago. The fact that even with a bad game plan, they still can make the Vietnamese bleed so much so they have to send in reinforcement is an indication of doing something right.
The Vietnamese did a exceptionally good job in this engagement, they play their game right, have achieve everything they set out to do and resulting a resounding success. The only thing i would say they did nt do well in the whole battle is the way they rely on frontal assault heavily.
Had French have more troop in reserve, vietminh would have lost the battle. Had French had more airpower and fire power, they would also had lose the battle.The way the vietnamese allow the french to cut them in with their artillery is risky, a siege is a siege, when you play with a upper hand on a siege, you got to have patient. And vietminh did not display that. If i were the Vietminh, i would probably play it long and play a better waiting game. Do a bit battle of attrition and wind down the french will to fight, "this is my country and we are not in a hurry" would be my way of game, that would certainly lead to lower casualty and a easier fight. This is the exact reason why this tactics (Frontal assault) would not work on the American 13 years later.
Dien Bien Phu vs Khe Sanh??
Many people had asked the same question, why one battle is a success and the other is not. Fought from the same person, same strategy and more or less same unit. Why this is a success in Dien Bien Phu but not in Khe Sanh?? Here is a comparson between the 2.
1.) In Dien Bien Phu, the French have taken the fort just 5 months prior. When they are not used to the surrounding environment. They do not have time to plan the defense and secure the surrounding area. In Khe Sanh, US occupied KSCB from the on set of the war, they would have 3 years to plan a possible invasion and attacks. Which is more than enough.
2.) French resupply point from Dien Bien Phu is 120 mile away, compare to the US point just over 30 miles aways. For every resupply flight that French at DBP made, the US would have 4 flight in.
3.) The size of the Air Force is different. French have a small airforce supporting DIen Bien Phu, while the US Air Force supporting Khe Sanh is at least 5 times larger. Thus, at least 5 times more supply to run to the base. Also combat element of USAF is a lot larger than just a few squadron of Hellcat and Bearcat, that would work a lot better for Counter AA fire and SEAD mission.
4.) The high ground in DBP was not occupied, hence a more compacted strong point the French is having. The vietnamese also have overlooking position on the french base camp at those hill. At Khe Sanh, the US occupied those high ground and that would force the vietnamese support further away (as the US can spot those vietnamese artillery on hill top) while vNVA/NLF does not have a good indirect fire capability (With a spoter spoting target for a whole group, which require high level of co-ordination.) the supporting fire from NVA/NLF are less concentrated and less accurated than the one gave in DBP (Where most CP were eliminated with first salvo of artillery fire and killing/incapacitating the whole french command structure)
5.) The goal is differnet. Where in DBP, the vietnamese goal is a defeat of the french there, nothing else. Hence General Vo are free to use whatever mean necessary to destroy the french. In Khe Sanh, the situation is differnet as now the NVA/NLF would also need to consider the war/battle being fought elsewhere. Resource got drawn away to the bigger Tet Offensive, regardless of the true intention of NVA/NLF, General Vo would fight the American with ine hand tied behind his back.
Regardless of the way the battle being handled, in the end of the day, French lose in hoping to create another Na San, while the vietnamese won, they do win the battle while paying a high price. But a victory is victory nonetheness. And this is a well and truely deserved for the Vietnamese.
@Viet @AUSTERLITZ @Slav Defence @asad71
This is the anticipated Battle of Dien Bien Phu you guys interested in, come check this out
