Battle of Dien Bien Phu Vietnam and the Fall of French Indochina

This video presents the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, the decisive battle that puts an end to the domination of French colonialism in Indochina and bringing real independence back to the region.
Chapter:
00:00 Introduction
00:49 Path to the First Indochina War
03:53 The First Indochina War
04:55 The Battle of Dien Bien Phu
07:47 The Fall of French Indochina
French Indochina was formed in 1887 as the result of French colonialism in Indochina, comprising Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. In 1930, as an attempt to gain self-rule over France, the Communist Party of Vietnam was founded in Hong Kong by Ho Chi Minh.
A few months later, the communists initiated a broad wave of peasant rebellions which were suppressed by the French in 1931 but the Party continued to extend its influence until the outbreak of World War II. In response to the Japanese occupation of French Indochina during the War, the League for the Independence of Vietnam, or known as the Viet Minh, was formed. In the following years, led by General Vo Nguyen Giap, Viet Minh launched several guerrilla operations against the Japanese, eventually controlling much of the border areas in northern Vietnam in the following years.
In March 1945, Japan dismantled French control and completely overran Indochina, resulting in the creation of Japanese puppet states. Following Japan’s surrender to the Allies in August, the Viet Minh units launched the August Revolution, and within two weeks, gained control of most parts throughout North, Central and South Vietnam, including Hanoi on August 19. On September 2, in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnamese independence from France, and formed the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Determined to regain control over Indochina, the French, however, seized Cochinchina with the aid of the British and proclaimed it an “autonomous republic”. The tension escalated on November 23, 1946, when the French naval fleet bombarded the port city of Haiphong, marking the beginning of the First Indochina War.
In 1949, in an attempt to weaken the Viet Minh, France reunited Cochinchina with the rest of Vietnam, forming the State of Vietnam as an associated state within the French Union. However, the Viet Minh forces continued to launch successful guerrilla operations against French forces and seized control over most of the countryside by the end of 1953. While the French were rapidly losing their ground to the Viet Minh, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu broke out, decisively settling the fate of French Indochina.
The battle was divided into three phases and lasted till May 7th when an all-out attack against the remaining French units was launched. That afternoon, the Viet Minh forces captured de Castries, and a few minutes later, the reg flag waving on top of the enemy bunker marked the victorious end of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. French decisive defeat at Dien Bien Phu paved the way for the signing of the Geneva Agreement in July 1954, marking the fall of French Indochina.
Do you think what contributed to the victory of Vietnam in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu?
Tell us in the comment section below.
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#Dienbienphu #falloffrenchindochina

[@vietnamese80]

During the Vietnam war soldiers had no vacation, no end of duty, only death or independence. we will fight to the death and we know that we fall our children continue to fight to the death. We did that thousands of years ago and will continue to do so. just to tell humanity that we long for independence, we love peace, to say that we are part of this world, and when independence is at peace we are part of you, And you are part of us too

[@nta_gaming]

Thanks you for add Paracel islands and Spratly islands as a part of Vietnam (^-^)!❤

[@eyebeebak]

The Vietnamese victory over the French was the beginning of an end to France's colonialism in Africa as well. African countries began to fight and gain their independence from France. It was the end of France's global colonialism.

[@nathanaelragot560]

The only great vietnamese victory was in dien bien phu the french won other battles but decided to give the independence to vietnam because the war was so unpopular in France

[@eyebeebak]

@@nathanaelragot560 france lost. they didnt give independence to vietnam. you cannot give when you lost.

[@CSQLHC]

@@nathanaelragot560 No one gives us independence but ourselves.

[@elbagrau]

​@@nathanaelragot560 You can tell yourself stories to comfort your french ego, but everyone else know what really happened.

[@StekTM1]

@@nathanaelragot560 They lost, pal. If you can't continue fighting, you lose. Just like that.

[@rileybilbrey2801]

The vietnamese were genius to use their style of warfare its effective. No matter if you are a european power

[@hkboi7433]

@Kev Fit But how about the Japanese. They also accept high casualty rates yet they terribly lost ww2 at the end.

[@hkboi7433]

@Kev Fit you're correct by I don't think the key of them winning the war is because they are willing to have high casualties

[@hkboi7433]

@Kev Fit ok

[@hkboi7433]

@Kev Fit understand

[@thebluegame1680]

Soon you match with china 😁

[@dungduong3974]

Such an amazing video!!!! I love the way they use flags on behalf of soldiers. It deserves more views.

[@Alicia-ru5kg]

thank you so much for this great video, i watched it with my friend Remi and we loved the way you explain, keep going.

[@vietnambrickproductions4052]

nice I just finished my Dien Bien Phu stopmotion

[@thecommentguy9380]

they really dug themselves a grave in that supposed unbreakable stronghold prob because they did not expect Giap to pull those heavy artilleries uphill using sheer manpower

[@pamelajaye]

I have lost the ability to concentrate. This looks interesting. I'm going to have to come back and pick it up sometime when I can pay attention. And congratulations on the pronunciation. As far as I have gotten, it sounds correct, the way I heard it in the news back in the '60s when I was too young to know what on earth it was all about. Also I have no idea where Vietnam was. I literally looked it up on a globe later on. I just can't remember when later on was.

[@user-rx3wi6fh2c]

What strikes me most is why, less than a decade ago, the French wept on the streets of Paris as they watched the Germans march into the city, and why, less than a decade later, they invaded other, weaker peoples. Are all the tears back then urine?

[@pxh6129]

They see any non-European race as lesser kind to their own, so same moral does not apply.

[@minhnguyenhoang8651]

Great

[@bobjones4901]

Vietnamese are amazing people. Pho is really good too.

[@Maimihkuan2012]

qua hay

[@daphuc502]

actually your version of the Geneva conference is completely incorrected. the treaty did not divided Vietnam between north Vietnam and the state of Vietnam , but between France and Vietnam , the state of Vietnam did not exist nor they signed any treaty of Geneva , it were signed between French and Vietnamese government , that the South will be a temporary occupation zone of FRENCH and FRENCH colonial forces , before they completely withdraw from the country . The Americans made exactly the same lethal mistakes when they thought Vietnam would be just like Korea ( Japanese territory ) or Germany after world war 2 , when both the Japanese territory of Korea and Germany were divided between USSR and the US , by which both sides created puppet regimes that had absolutely no rights or negotiation in the fate of their nations , Vietnam were divided between French and Vietnamese people , it were never divided between US -USSR or between Vietnamese people. the only time that would make Vietnam war look like Korean war were the brief period after world war 2 when Vietnam were actually divided between British and Chinese zone of occupation.

[@orhanemiratlgan9478]

Respect for those who fight against the imperialism of the developed countries. Respect for the indenpendence of the nations of the Free World.

[@leneanderthalien]

Zero respect for these because they replace a imperialism with another imperialism (chinese communism) + bloody dictature...

[@alokjadhav6621]

How to edit please tell

[@christ2551]

Finally a history lesson with a narrator who has no accent that can be understood.

[@bruceli853]

Like Jo koy said, don't mess with the Vietnamese people. They might be small but they will fight anyone.

[@KOROZUMILuz-zf9be]

The Vietnamese people hate the most are those who infringe on their sovereignty and smear their ancestors.

[@vaughangarrick]

Reading The Quiet American and this has helped put things into better perspective.

[@monicajoseph3910]

After kicking France, Vietnam successfully kicked the US out of their country as well. You should never look down on the power and the unity of the Vietnamese! 🇻🇳

[@rileybilbrey2801]

They used gorilla warfare you cant beat that unless you just wanna kill everything. They were farmers and average men you cant kill a people anywhere unless you commit war crimes like the nazi's.

[@hermannboyen5392]

Stop repeating this nonsensical ultranationalist rant. Vietnamese aren't natives of all Vietnam, they only natives to part of the Red River Delta, since there at least 54 ethnic groups. Even prior the 8th century Red River Delta was inhabited by Tai and Hlai-speaking peoples, not even Vietnamese, whom Viet-Muong (Northern Vietic) tribes broke down into two separated tribes later due to sinicization. central Vietnam was the Hindu-Buddhist later Islamic kingdom of Champa, and the south were Funan, Zhenla and Cambodia. Find some scholars such as Prof Liam Kelley or prof Catherine Churchman and stop sucking these Vietnam invincible myth hoaxes.

[@carsoncollins8590]

I would argue that America tried to fight the powers of Vietnam and China with one hand tied behind our back, started to actually win, and promptly tied the other. It is nonsensical to think that Vietnamese forces were remotely the most important factor.

[@monicajoseph3910]

​@@hermannboyen5392 Vietnamese I mention here refers to all citizens of the country Vietnam, regarless of their ethnic groups and languages. I don't mention just the Kinh people!

[@hieunt1643]

@@hermannboyen5392 The US dropped about 7.6 million tons over Indochina during 9 years of direct military intervention in this area, 3.5 times higher than the number of bombs used by the US worldwide during the war. World war II - capital is also only 2.1 million tons. Most of those bombs were intended to attack and stop Vietnamese military forces and kill innocent people, not to mention toxic chemicals.

[@damascusfletcher8929]

06:00 March 15th or March 13th?

[@malct6545]

After a brutal world war the European governments still didn't learn. Absolutely dispicable

[@TheBikeOnTheMoon]

ikr, after ww2, the first thing the french goverment did was to send troop back to Vietnam and tried to enslave the country again. As if they didn't learn what they endured during Nazi occupation. What an absolute monstrosity of the french government.

[@Charles-pf7zy]

That’s why whites are called colonists. It’s an inherent part of their identity

[@karlxgustav3336]

Learn to spell monkey

[@eric2685]

Giap attempted something similar at Khe Sanh, in 1968 .

[@atnguyenngoc6521]

it was not large scale assault like dien bien phu, they did not attack khe sanh by assault it directly,they use artillery to destroy the base

[@tonkinthehanoian1843]

All is good except the name pronunciation. The Nuyen in Vo Nguyen Giap can roughly be pronounced as a soft /Gwen/

[@rudymatheson1415]

and Phrabang is not f It is just Prabang

[@Dlnos]

i dont like how he called Võ Nguyên Giáp as "vo yang gueng"

[@thienan567]

You really murdered the pronunciation of Vo Nguyen Giap. Also South Vietnam is called Republic of Vietnam, not State of Vietnam.

[@gaelhoang2537]

Ông này có tôn trọng chủ quyền biển đảo Việt Nam. Duyệt

[@libaedunto4875]

The US were that side character that became the main villain in season 2

[@chienpham5661]

lol

[@PurPurDot]

Who it’s premiering at midnight

[@prointernetuser]

allied nations' attempt to reestablish their colonies after wwii especially in southeast asia has been something that pisses me off for some reason. The one in Malaya/Indonesia was particularly infuriating because the Brits were suppressing local independence movement along with Japanese troops. Like holy shit just let them be.

[@nikkhilkalia4512]

Completely agree. They had just fought a war against fascism in the name of democracy, and yet they didn't recognise the same principle of democracy in their colonies. One of the most glaring examples of western hypocrisy.

[@whutdatytopsy9651]

still mad?

[@christopher8022]

Well they learnt a lot from studying the tactics of the ottoman empire which was the largest and most enduring and brutal colonial empire in modern history.

[@user-xu9ji4dd4e]

@@christopher8022 Jesus damn Spain no

[@karlxgustav3336]

@@user-xu9ji4dd4e ??

[@Astrogak]

This is so far the best interactive doco on the early days of the Vietnam war.

[@user-wu3xp8om2b]

❤

[@hgdon-homeiswheretreesare-9239]

What the French and later American underestimated Vietnamese was that they didn’t realize that throughout the history of Vietnam (known as Dais or Viets) while they struggled, they didn’t lose the wars (not to the Chinese and even the mighty Mongos); they were advanced and civilized people. This was the big loss for France and of course America. 😊

[@KOROZUMILuz-zf9be]

What about the Khmer Empire and Van Tuong? Siam is an equally great power. Champa is no exception, has entered Thang Long citadel.

[@gangstas9408]

in Philippines we call that barang or balangay sa barangay

[@charlieyang2613]

You failed to mention that the British Rearmed the imprisoned Japanese soldiers to fight the Vietnamese in the South in 1945.

[@maivuong495]

They only help for a short time, less than a month

[@chaupham5036]

Giap's greatest victory was against the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. The French general, Henri Navar Navarre, believed that Giap would never be able to pull artillery up the steep mountains surrounding the isolated French base near the border. border with Laos. Navarre was wrong. By the time the actual battle began, Giap had far more guns and soldiers than the French, many of which were American weapons confiscated by China during the Korean War. The French had a entrenched barracks with 10,000 men in it, and Giap had 50,000 and many, many militiamen doing all the heavy lifting. Critics see Vo Nguyen Giap as ruthless: willing to accept huge losses in his own forces. His defenders say his astute strategic and tactical abilities have won wars against enemies whose resources dwarf those of peasant armies. When neighboring China invaded in 1978, Giap helped organize the defense, repelling the Chinese with heavy losses. After that, his political and military influence began to wane. Some members of the organization resented him and he was replaced as defense minister in 1980 and removed from the powerful politburo two years later.

[@fys2912]

The victory of Dien Bien Phu is not for own Vietnamese. It's for other colonized countries in the world. Thanks to Legion veteran and Japanese veteran who were fight beside Viet Minh during first Indochina war

[@DABUNGINATOR]

As a Vietnamese dude who doesn't speak the lingo, I must correct folks who say "Noo-yen" instead of "Win." Yes, Nguyen does sound a bit different from a native speaker, but it's nowhere near close to Noo-yen.

[@davidwordsworth5584]

What are the origins of the dislike between the Chinese and Vietnam? They are both communist and both fought the colonial forces and the Japanese. Why do they dislike each other?

[@hailiemai7213]

It’s because the Chinese occupied Vietnam for 1000 years. They have border dispute

[@deafea4867]

China wanted Viet Nam to be under their influence sphere but Viet Nam choose the Soviet over China. China then shake hands with the US to overthrown the Soviet in exchange for China a permanent UN seat. 1974 Chinese units start capturing islands in South China Sea which were camped by the South Viet Nam. 1989, China start a full scale border war with Viet Nam and from that point their relationship can never be the same like beginning

[@tungtai7465]

Vietnam battle vs China 4000 years

[@SimonMoreal]

Westerners always seem to assume that Vietnam has only been existed since the communist era or what? The Chinese are disliked because for thousands of years, time and time again, they have been trying to conquer and assimilate Vietnamese territory and culture. You can see it clearly in Vietnamese language and culture which are heavily influenced by China's.

[@icantaimpg3d776]

@@deafea4867 1979 actually

[@brianroesch3259]

With all respect, the plain words of 1954 Geneva Accords give France a duty to administer a Southern Zone until elections. It does not mention a North Vietnam, South Vietnam, or State of Vietnam (except the latter, only as a conference party). The Accords did not create 2 states or countries. A US govt false claim says the Accords did. Cites available

[@flaneuredits]

Not me thinking Diem Bien Phu was Ngo Diem’s Full name💀

[@tonynguyen9075]

I’m with my country America that’s where I’m from

[@rickjohnson9558]

The final battle of the waffen-ss.

[@GaryHamad]

so Basically what Happened to Indonesia but with Prolonged 40 Year War? Holy shit Viet Bro I'm sorry

[@TheBikeOnTheMoon]

the situation in Indonesia was much easier to handle as the Dutch barely had anything left, but the French with the US''s back up was something else.

[@GaryHamad]

@@TheBikeOnTheMoon IIRC The Dutch was Backed and Supplied by UK so IDK which is worse, they're both Backed

[@F-16Viper72]

2 countries that breed pure warriors, Vietnam and Afghanistan. I despise the taliban and dont think highly of communists but credit where jts due. The soviets couldn’t take over Afghanistan and we couldn’t either with all of our military might. Vietnam was an embarrassment…..

[@azirnanma5764]

although got surrounded, French defends could handled that many troops its outstanding, they are good soldiers.

[@elfbeaned]

Viet Nam equipment is really good and overwhelming?

[@linkkage.d.976]

@@elfbeaned 😂😂😂

[@nathanaelragot560]

​@@elfbeaned it was chinese equipement so yeah pretty good

[@ducminhnguyen7835]

the Viet Minh didn't have air support, didn't have tanks, and weren't paid 80% of military expenditure by the US.

[@atnguyenngoc6521]

yeah they are so good but they don't have reason to fight

[@peterbabooram7798]

If the French wasn't there in the first place all this would have been prevented

[@user-oy2ry9kq6v]

Vietnam defeated the mongols, chinese, japanese, french and USA despite the disadvantages of technology, manpower and political support! All vietnamese people I have met dont seem like fighters type, but sweet and friendly people, which is why Vietnam has gained my respect!

[@severuscarlisle4375]

The speaker could at least learn how to pronounce the Vietnamese names ffs "vo new ang jee ap"? Really? However informative this may have been you lost my interest simply for the fact that you couldn't even pronounce the names properly.

[@laopang91362]

Out out out ...

[@ginoapoli4694]

sprratly island is a philippine territory

[@johnd8281]

Philipine is belong to malaysia

[@guhguh22]

The conflict between North Vietnam and South Vietnam is very complicated and its very hard to pick sides in retrospect

[@khanhtrandanf9085]

whoever liberate their country from invaders have more rights to lead their own country. Not only did the south government not contribute anything to their country during the first VN war, they (the Bao Dai regime) were also hand in hand with the France, then the Japanese to colonize their own motherland.

[@PKS02]

It's simple, the South sided (unwillingly) with former colonialists and foreign imperialists while the North was fighting to unite Vietnam.

[@guhguh22]

@@PKS02 Many people enjoyed South-Vietnam after it became more independent under its own rule. It was doing very well economically and schooling was good

[@PKS02]

@@guhguh22 it was never under its own rule, the US had puppets installed and pumped unprecedented amounts of money into the South to demoralize the North. Then when Vietnam was reunited, traitors ran to the US and the US government put sanctions on Vietnam until 1995, disregarding multiple famines and never even cleaning up the massacres they committed in Laos and Cambodia.

[@guhguh22]

@@PKS02 Yes I am aware of how much the US was involved with South Vietnam and the money they gave to aid, similar to South Korea. It was clear that Vietnam needed to be united but it could have been solved mire politically with less bloodshed

[@Pastmistakes414]

I’d disagree on your stated phases of the battle of diem bien phu. You say it started in March of 1954 but they parachuted in on Nov of 1953

[@HoanggamemerTM]

I'm from Vietnam

[@nhungbui5431]

hi bạn

[@minhngocphan7121]

Kệ mi¿ =)

[@HoanggamemerTM]

@@minhngocphan7121 ok :)

[@briansheehan5256]

The U.S. and UK should have sided financially with the Vietnamese against the French. Today Vietnam is a close friend to these United States. France, not so much.

[@khaiophirgrad7717]

Merci beucoup.

[@angkhoanguyen6114]

we friends yes but not allies

[@tmq0311....]

*Friends, not close friends I'm Vietnamese btw If our country forced to pick some close friends, we would pick Russia, Cuba and Iraq

[@diehardcat]

Now, Vietnam is friendly to France and the US at about the same level. The US has more political and economic clout in the world now so there are more activities between it and Vietnam. but it doesn't mean they are 'close friends' or even friends! The US is a snake. It can bite you any time! LOL!

[@KOROZUMILuz-zf9be]

If Vietnam has an ally like you mentioned above, it would be remiss without Laos!

[@masitrac7126]

Can you please redo this video to include Champa? Vietnam did not exist until 1832, when they annexed Champa. Doing this video with the name Vietnam the entire time... it literally just erases us. Please, you are a history channel. Please do not erase us. We're already dead :/

[@andrewtran4468]

Vietnam as a country existed long before 1832. The name Vietnam was not used before that, but the country, under its historical name Dai Viet, has been there since 900 years ago. The Kingdom of Champa practically ceased to exist after 1471 when it suffered a decisive defeat. Remnants of the Kingdom of Champa were allowed to exist as semi-autonomous principalities, until 1832 when the last remaining principality of Panduranga was officially ended.

[@JohnDoe-fu2vd]

Nobody taught this in school

[@tonynguyen9075]

I’m Vietnamese … but I’m not from Vietnam I’m from America who care about that 😂😂😂

[@nhincaigimanhin0]

Vậy sống ở Hoa Kỳ và nói tiếng anh đi 🤣

[@tranguyen5308]

So you are not Vietnamese. Please DO NOT CALL YOUR SELF AS A VIETNAMESE - that make the real Vietnamese feel disgusting. We (the real Vietnamese) do care and proud of what our ancester have done to protect our homeland and sovereignty.

[@nghiatruong3457]

Commies are not Vietnamese

[@jackreachervatana8951]

Lol Cambodia already independent by 1953 without Vietnam help lol

[@jamaisvu9008]

????

[@hermannboyen5392]

Introduction 0:11 "Dai Viet" was the wrong name, at that time it was called the Annamite empire or Annam by international writers and journalists. -ese was added later, previously the Vietnamese were called the Annamites, because the Vietic tribes' origin was the Annamite mountains. For example the Daily Tokyo on 20 July 1883 wrote: The king of Annam, Tu Duc, died on 17 July

[@shadowblitzo123]

I am surprised at hiw much bs you spout out of your mouth. The annamite mountains is a modern word made by the french. The word annam itself came from china. The french adopted annam, not because.of your crazy rants about ethnicity. Understand chjna boy?

[@tungtruong2938]

@@shadowblitzo123 thằng này chuyên gia nói xấu vn nó người china hay pháp gì đó thua mà vẫn cay cú đến giờ , video nào của vn là nó có mặt thôi

[@tungtruong2938]

Thằng boyen nó đang thể hiện kiểu nó là người của 1000 năm trước hay 2000 năm mà xuyên không về hiện tại trước biết rõ lịch sử của vietnam và video nào nó cũng cmt như đúng rồi :))) nhìn hài vl

[@andrewtran4468]

Disinformation alert. Dai Viet was the historical name of Vietnam since 900 years ago. That was the name used by its emperors and its inhabitants. And the people called themselves Viets. Annam was a disparaging name used by the Chinese to call the land. No one in Vietnam (or Dai Viet) used that name. The French, as ignorant as they were, adopted the name from the Chinese.

[@dangphucuong]

Oh cool, a foreigner teaching us about our own historical country name

[@kiro9291]

classic white colonials

[@karlxgustav3336]

Stay mad 😘

[@le_souverainiste_francais7420]

Vive la France 🇨🇵 Vive l'Indochine Française 🇨🇵 🇻🇳🇱🇦🇰🇭

[@nam2203]

"French Indochina" is non-existent since 1954.

[@le_souverainiste_francais7420]

@@nam2203 I don't care I love our Coloniale Empire

[@nam2203]

You're typing in French or English?

[@le_souverainiste_francais7420]

@@nam2203 in French and I English

[@nam2203]

You're English?

[@alokjadhav6621]

How to edit please tell

[@HieuNguyen-op6ud]

Script -> illustration -> animate -> add sound, editing program: Abobe Illustrator, after effect, premire pro, adobe Audition