Dien bien phu is a place of the one of the biggest fight of vietminh against the french colonial army. Battlefield vietnam dien bien phu the legacy youtube. Highway 12 ploughs on south for more than 100km about 34hr, making slow progress at first but then zipping through the second 50km, to the heartshaped valley of dien bien phu, scene of general giaps triumph in a battle. The siege at dien bien phu was a landmark battle of the last centurythe first. The average distance from hanoi to dien bien phu is 291 kilometers equals to 180 miles or 157 nautical miles. Vietnam war master resource guide the american war library. Dien bien phu tours travel to dien bien phu vietnam. Dien bien phu is located in dien bien province in the northwest region of vietnam. Dien bien phu utcgmt offset, daylight saving, facts and alternative names. It was in the surrounding countryside here, on 7 may 1954, that the french colonial forces were defeated by the viet minh in a decisive battle, and the days of their indochina empire became numbered.
Dien bien phu is a useful and stop, if you en route to other destinations in the province. The french defeat there in 1954 led directly to the usas. Like midway and stalingrad, dien bien phu ranks as one of the decisive battles of recent military history. That defeat sealed the end of french colonization and of the first indochina war. Dien bien phu tourism dien bien phu hotels bed and breakfast dien bien phu dien bien phu holiday rentals dien bien phu holiday packages flights to dien bien phu dien bien phu restaurants dien bien phu attractions dien bien phu travel forum dien bien phu photos dien bien phu map dien bien phu guide all dien bien phu hotels. Sapa to dien bien phu road transport options vietnam. This major confrontation occurred at dien bien phu, a large heartshaped valley located in northwestern part of vietnam. This major confrontation occurred at dien bien phu, a large heartshaped valley located in northwestern part of vietnam, near the border with laos. Dien bien phu and the french defeat in vietnam pdf. Most hotels run tours related to the dbp battles and lots of tuk tuk drivers will also do this but very few speak any english so i thought that. Dien bien phu dbp plays a star role in vietnam s modern history. Bien phu was a symbol throughout the world that small guerrilla forces like the viet minh could turn away even the largest of imperial powers. Vietnamese leaders pay homage to the cemetery of revolutionary martyrs of the battle of dien bien phu in vietnam s northwestern dien bien phu province, some 300 km west of capital hanoi, vietnam, may 7, 2014. Your flight will depart from noi bai international airport at 21.
The battle of dien bien phu is seen as the decisive battle of the first indochina war between french troops and the viet minh league for the independence of vietnam, a nationalist, prosoviet union movement of ho chi minh. Meanwhile the vietminh had a staggering 23,000 dead. Today the provincial capital with broad boulevards and an airport, dien bien phu played a major role in the first indochina war. The calculated flying distance from dien bien phu to hanoi is equal to 183 miles which is equal to 295 km if you want to go by car, the driving distance between dien bien phu and hanoi is 491. Battle of dien bien phu area today a map of the area around the battle positions battle of dien bien phu summary. Dien bien phu city is located in muong thanh valley with around 20km long and 6km wide. The battle of dien bien phu was the decisive engagement in the first indochina war 194654. The final result of the battle of dien bien phu was the following. The decisive battle in which viet minh revolutionaries defeated the french colonial forces took place in the surrounding heartshaped muong thanh valley in 1954.
Discuss dien bien phu travel with tripadvisor travelers. Whatever is true, i am amazed that i was personally involved with two of these battles in my relative short military career. Whether traveling for business or leisure, dien bien phu is an outstanding city to visit with over 39 hotels to choose from. Get directions, maps, and traffic for dien bien phu. Between 1945 and 1954 northwest vietnam became the cradle of resistance against french colonialism, and the battle of 1954 marked the end of french involvement in indochina. The french has a loss of 2,293 killed, 5,195 wounded, and 10,998 were captured. Deep in the highlands of northwest vietnam lies the historic battlefield of dien bien phu, where viet minh forces defeated the french in 1954, thus ending nearly 100 years of colonization. Its remote location in the extreme northwest of vietnam deterred both visitors and development, apart from becoming a french garrison during the colonial period.
Check flight prices and hotel availability for your visit. Dien bien phu was the site of a major french defeat 1954 in the first indochina war. Eve of destruction redux vietnam official website pc game. Dien bien phu is a historic province and the nature is beautiful. Tucked away in the muong thanh valley, deep in the highlands of northwest vietnam, dien bien phu has earned its place in history books as the turning point of colonial rule.
The battle of dien bien phu there is a book in the kinsley kansas library called the 20 most decisive battles in world history, or it might be called the 20 most decisive battles in vietnam. Visit dien bien phu on a trip to vietnam audley travel. Battlefield heroes s1 e1 the first battle of vietnam. The provincial capital, dien bien phu, is mostly a mix of ethnic viet kinh the majority ethnic group of the country and white thai, with other minorities inhabiting the outlying areas, but is best know for the battle of the same name which pretty much marked the beginning of the end or more like the end of the beginning of the end for. Information how to get to dien bien weather accommodation interesting places map dien bien phu town is of special interest for fans of military history. Position your mouse over the map and use your mousewheel to zoom in or out. Package tour to dien bien phu covers all sites of battle field in french war. Winding along the rugged road that is highway 6, one deep valley is followed by another, often with rice paddies dug in steps along the sides of the hills, reaching up to. The vietnamese besieged the french base for five long and desperate months. How to get there, travel guide, weather, detailed map of area, what to visit.
Map of dien bien phu hotels and attractions on a dien. Fight in this pc game in the vietnam war as soldier or get behind enemy lines with all kind of vehicles, horses or elephants. Dien bien phu dbp plays a star role in vietnams modern history. Dien bien phu travel northwest vietnam, vietnam lonely planet. Sapa to dien bien phu jul 2012 vietnam lonely planet. This morning you are picked up at the hotel, by car and tour guide for your transfer to the airport for you flight to dien bien. I see that i can fly between hanoi and dien bien phu not so cheap however. The battle of dien bien phu was one of the most influential battles in military history. Hill a1, located in muong thanh ward, plays a critic part in controlling the whole battle of dien bien phu campaign.
There are also people who offer you a motorcycle ride, if needed. Vietnam war part 1 dien bien phu the legacy features twelve episodes exploring the events of the vietnam conflict from a military perspective. Battle of dien bien phu french foreign legion information. Standing on the top of hill a1 while listening to a tourguide briefing about the 1954 campaign, ones may have a sense of attending the battlefield. Dien bien phu travel forum dien bien phu photos dien bien phu map dien bien phu guide all dien bien phu hotels. The dien bien phu airport is located very near the centre of town, along the road to muong lay to get there, take a right past the bus station, and the terminal is a kilometre down on the left. After lunch you will visit dien bien museum, hill a1, hill independence and the cemetery. Dien bien phu was founded in 1841when the nguyen dynasty wanted a fortified royal district as a response to the growing problem of banditry in the area. Crossing border from vietnam to laos with a motorbike. On a related issue, dien bien phu town is not the most fun you can have travelling. Dien bien phu was the site of a major french defeat 1954 in the first indochina war, and was of tremendous historical significance. But, only the one in the night is really a bus, if you want travel in the morning only have small bus. Book dien bien phu battlefield 3 days tour with us that you will explore some famous historical places in dien bien phu such as victory monument, a1 hill, muong thanh old bridge, ban phu citadel, discover muong phang commune.
A pitched battle happened in dien bien phu around sixty years ago. This place is situated in dien bien, lai chau, vietnam, its geographical coordinates are 21 23 0 north, 103 1 0 east and its original name with diacritics is di. Dien bien phu travel northwest vietnam, vietnam lonely. This place is situated in tuy phuoc, binh dinh, vietnam, its geographical coordinates are 45 0 north, 109 10 0 east and its original name with diacritics is phu tai 2. Chinese aid, consisting mainly of ammunition, petroleum, and some large artillery pieces carried a distance of 350 kilometers from the. Dien bien phu forum, travel discussion for dien bien phu. Popular areas are dien bien phu where visitors can enjoy the quintessential experiences of dien bien phu. Extremely mountainous, dien bien is one of the newest provinces in vietnam, having been split off from lai chau further to the north.
This definitive documentary focuses on the history of americas involvement in indochina, from the defeat of the french at dien bien phu to the reunification of vietnam after the last american troops left saigon, with footage from vietnamese, chinese and french combat photographers rarely seen in the west. That is one of the bordered cities as it is around 35km to laos, 474km to hanoi. I struggled to find the war museum there is a good war monument with great views of the surrounding countryside. Accordingly, the siege of dien bien phu began on march, by which time the viet minh had concentrated nearly 50,000 regular troops, 55,000 support troops, and almost 100,000 transport workers in the area. Dien bien phu is a useful and stop, if you en route. This is a historical site which its name was in the mind of most of vietnamese and french people of that generation.
Many maps are included and by the time you finish the book youll be able to go. Battlefield is an american documentary series that debuted in 1994 on pbs that explores the most important battles fought primarily during the second world war and the vietnam war. In addition to battlefields, bunkers, cemeteries, and a museum, dien bien phu also offers beautiful mountain scenery and access to ethnic minority villages. Viet minh troops plant their flag over the captured french headquarters at dien bien phu a still from soviet filmographer roman karmen. Dien bien phu battlefield 3 days tour origin vietnam. The town sits in the heartshaped muong thanh valley, surrounded by heavily. The place is bestknown for having seen the french defeated against the vietminh army on may 7 th, 1954. For the viet minh, control of dien bien phu was an important link in the supply route from china. It is located in the muong thanh valley in a heart shape, a 20 km long and 6 km wide valley. Dien bien phu, vietnam defeated french colonial at the dien bien phu campaign 60 years ago. Battlefield vietnam is a firstperson shooter video game, the second in the battlefield franchise after battlefield 1942. Battlefield vietnam part 1 dien bien phu the legacy.
Ac car and guide pick up and drive to dien bien phu hotel for check in. In november 1953, the french occupied the town with paratroop battalions and began reinforcing it with units from the french military post at nearby lai chau. Map of dien bien phu hotels and attractions on a dien bien. Vietnamese army soldiers entitled, victory at kham duc, was of no propaganda value in paris. Twelve classic onehour episodes from the acclaimed. It was fought between the french unions french far east expeditionary corps and viet minh communist. Bus from sapa to bien dien phu most hotels in sapa sell ticket bus to bien dien phu at 300. It is situated in the highlands of northwest vietnam, about 420 kilometres from hanoi. The center of dien bien phu is quite small and you can easily explore everything on foot. Dien bien phu is a comparatively new town established in the middle of the 19th century to help to rid the area of incursions by bandits from siam, laos and china. The name dien bien phu contains itself a great number of historical events, including dien bien phu campaign in dien bien province in 1954, which was a resounding victory over the world, defeating french colonists and liberating the complete vietnams northern region, and the victory of dien bien phu on air in hanoi in 1972, which broke the. The province features some of the most exhilarating mountainous terrain in all of vietnam.