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In early 1954, a decisive battle took place at Dien Bien Phu in northern Vietnam. It was the climax to a seven year long conflict between France and the communist Viet Minh for the future of south east asia. The fighting would last for months, and end in a catastrophic defeat that ended French rule in Indochina and pushed the United States one step closer to intervening in Vietnam.


0:00 - The Situation in 1954
5:14 - The Battle Begins
9:32 - Battle of the Five Hills
12:30 - Collapse

Credits:

Artwork by:
  / chrisbyflanker  

Lead animation by CKD Productions

Written, Supporting Animation, Directed and Produced by:
  / addaway23  

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Sources:

Max Hastings, Vietnam

John Springhall, "Kicking out the Vietminh: How Britain Allowed France to Reoccupy South Indochina", Journal of Contemporary History, Jan 2005 https://www.jstor.org/stable/30036312

George C. Herring, "The Truman Administration and the Restoration of French Sovereignty in Indochina", Diplomatic History, Spring 1977 https://www.jstor.org/stable/24909909

Ralph B. Smith, "The Japanese Period in Indochina and the Coup of 9 March 1945", Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, Sep. 1978
https://www.jstor.org/stable/i20062721

Stein Tønnesson, Vietnam 1946: How the War Began

Christopher Goscha, The Road to Dien Bien Phu

Bernard Fall, Street without Joy: the French debacle in Indochina,

Martin Windrow, The French Indochina War 1946-54

Lucien Bodard, The Quicksand War: Prelude to Vietnam