President Ho Chi Minh and the Dien Bien Phu campaign

(Baonghean.vn) - The historic victory of Dien Bien Phu, the pinnacle of the resistance war against French colonialism, was first and foremost a victory of the correct and creative political and military lines of the Party, headed by President Ho Chi Minh.

At the end of September 1953, Uncle Ho chaired a meeting of the Politburo of the Central Party Executive Committee in Tin Keo, Dinh Hoa district, Thai Nguyen province to discuss the 1953-1954 Winter-Spring strategic plan. General Vo Nguyen Giap presented the daring intention of French General H. Nava to concentrate a very large mobile force in the Northern Delta to provoke, wear down our main force, create conditions to gain the initiative and move towards a decisive victory within 18 months.

President Ho Chi Minh and the Party Central Committee at the Viet Bac Base, December 1953.

Uncle Ho listened attentively and then said: “The enemy is concentrating mobile troops to create strength… Don’t be afraid! If we force them to disperse their troops, that strength will no longer exist.” Uncle Ho’s hand opened, each finger pointing in a different direction. Following that guiding thought, we studied the Winter-Spring plan, sending our main forces to advance in 5 strategic directions to the enemy’s dangerous and relatively weak areas, choosing the main direction as Lai Chau in the Northwest.

On December 6, 1953, President Ho Chi Minh and the Politburo approved the operational plan of the General Command and decided to launch the Dien Bien Phu campaign. He instructed General and Commander-in-Chief Vo Nguyen Giap: “This campaign is a very important campaign not only militarily but also politically, not only domestically but also internationally. Therefore, the entire people, the entire army, and the entire Party must concentrate on completing it successfully…”.

General Vo Nguyen Giap (right) presented to President Ho Chi Minh and other Party and State leaders the plan to launch the Dien Bien Phu campaign in 1954.

On January 1, 1954, President Ho Chi Minh attended a Politburo meeting, appointed the leadership and command agency for the campaign, and deployed the plan to mobilize forces to the Northwest. When assigning the task to General and Commander-in-Chief Vo Nguyen Giap, he said: “The Commander-in-Chief is on the front line, the General is at home! I give you full authority to make decisions. If there are any difficulties, discuss and reach a consensus within the Party Committee, reach a consensus with the advisor, then make a decision and report back later. This battle is important, we must fight to win! Only fight if we are sure of victory, and only fight if we are not sure of victory.”

Uncle Ho's instructions were the guiding ideology that helped General Vo Nguyen Giap have a basis for handling the situation during the battle command. General Vo Nguyen Giap, following Uncle Ho's ideology, called the military branches to announce the change in the motto of destroying the enemy from "fight fast, win fast" to "fight firmly, advance firmly" and the units, depending on specific conditions, used military force to destroy, and solved logistics themselves...".

The transport team by cart served the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.

In order to promptly encourage, cheer and add strength to our army to overcome difficulties and defeat the enemy in Dien Bien Phu right from the opening battle, in March 1954, in a letter to the cadres and soldiers of the Dien Bien Phu Front, President Ho Chi Minh advised: “You are about to go to the front. Your mission this time is very great, difficult but very glorious… Many units have won on many fronts. I am confident that you will promote the recent victories, determined to overcome all difficulties and hardships to fulfill the glorious mission ahead.”

The strategic determination of the Party and Uncle Ho to destroy all enemy troops in Dien Bien Phu became the will and action of our entire army and people. At exactly 5:00 p.m. on March 13, 1954, our army's artillery fired heavily on Muong Thanh airport and all three bases of the Resistance Center in Him Lam, opening the Dien Bien Phu campaign.

Our soldiers dragged dozens of tons of artillery over mountains and forests into the battlefield.

And, right after our army destroyed the Him Lam stronghold and crushed the enemy's counterattack to retake Him Lam, on March 15, 1954, Uncle Ho sent a telegram praising, encouraging and advising all cadres and soldiers at the Dien Bien Phu Front: "I and the Party Central Committee have been informed about the first two victories of our army at Dien Bien Phu. I and the Party Central Committee have words of praise for you, comrades. This campaign is a historic campaign of our army, our victory in this campaign has important military and political significance. The enemy will try to cope, we must strive, fight tenaciously, do not be subjective, underestimate the enemy, and win complete victory for this campaign".

When our army won the war, Uncle Ho immediately sent a telegram of praise and decided to award the "Dien Bien Phu Soldier" badge to the comrades who participated in this historic campaign.

President Ho Chi Minh awarded medals to soldiers with outstanding achievements.

With the close guidance and timely education, encouragement and support of the Party Central Committee and Uncle Ho, on May 7, 1954, our army and people overcame countless difficulties and hardships after 56 days of continuous fighting to completely defeat the French colonialists in Dien Bien Phu. The “Determined to Fight, Determined to Win” flag presented by President Ho Chi Minh to our army flew proudly on the roof of the French army command bunker in Dien Bien Phu, signaling the collapse of old colonialism in the world.

Extremely excited about the great victory of our nation, on May 8, 1954, President Ho Chi Minh wrote a letter praising the soldiers, laborers, youth volunteers and people of the Northwest - those who directly made this great victory.

At 5:30 p.m. on May 7, 1954, the "Determination to Fight and Win" flag of the Vietnam People's Army flew on the roof of General De Castries' bunker.

In the letter, Uncle Ho wrote: “Our army has liberated Dien Bien Phu. Uncle Ho and the Government cordially congratulate the cadres, soldiers, laborers, youth volunteers and local people who have gloriously fulfilled their duties. Although the victory is great, it is only the beginning. We should not be arrogant because of victory, nor should we be subjective and underestimate the enemy. We are determined to fight to regain independence, unity, democracy and peace. Any military or diplomatic struggle must be fought long and arduously to achieve complete victory. Uncle Ho and the Government will reward the cadres, soldiers, laborers, youth volunteers and local people who have made special contributions.”

As the leader of the nation and the supreme commander of the Dien Bien Phu campaign, President Ho Chi Minh not only kindly taught our cadres and soldiers about broad issues, expressed the greatest truths of the era, the basic viewpoints on people's war and building people's armed forces, but also encouraged and instructed our cadres and soldiers in each campaign, each battle, each specific action and behavior. He instilled in our army and people the extraordinary strength of the thought "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom", an iron belief, a will to "win" to overcome all difficulties and dangers to achieve complete victory.

Peace

(Synthetic)