At 5:05 pm, Vietnamese artillery concentrated its firepower to deliver a massive bombardment on the base group. The opening battle of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign ended at 11:30 pm on the same day. Him Lam resistance centre was completely paralysed. More than 300 enemies were destroyed, and about 200 others were captured alive. The 3rd Battalion under the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion was completely wiped out.

An overview of Doc Lap (Independence) Hill. The 'Determination to fight, Determination to win' flag, the noble award of President Ho Chi Minh, was raised high by the shock soldiers on the roof of the enemy's command bunker after Vietnamese soldiers completely destroyed this position on March 14, 1954.

While launching the attack to Dien Bien Phu, on March 13, 1954, Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam People's Army, General Vo Nguyen Giap, issued an order to mobilise all officers and soldiers on the battlefields nationwide to coordinate with the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. 

Following the General's mobilisation order, right on March 13, 1954, the Party Standing Committee of Ha Dong Province (now part of Hanoi) decided to send soldiers to operate in the north of Road No. 6A, opening a guerrilla zone in the north of Chuong My District, restoring the Lien Nam – West Thuong Tin District guerrilla zones, and destroying the enemy’s military post system towards disrupting their pacification and sweep plan.

On the Road No.5 front, in the provinces of Hung Yen, Hai Duong, and Kien An (now in Hai Phong City), tens of thousands of guerrilla militiamen and district-level soldiers were mobilised to sabotage Road No.5 and the railway, as well as combining with land mine attacks to overthrow the enemy’s trains and level railway guard towers in Quan Ron and Xuan Dao.

In southern provinces, on March 13, 1954, the army and people of Go Cong Province (now part of Tien Giang Province) surrounded and forced seven posts to withdraw, including four quite large ones of Binh An, Tan Phuoc, Ben Chua, and Gia Loc. 

As a result, more than 500 enemies were killed and captured alive, and more than 200 guns and tonnes of ammunition were collected. Local soldiers also coordinated with provincial soldiers to organise many battles against the enemy in Lang Dai, Lo Than, Cay Duong, and Ba La, etc., to disintegrate the 15th Puppet Battalion.

Gifts to be presented to revolutionary contributors for Tet holiday

The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has sent an official dispatch to the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to provide instructions on the President-signed decision on presenting gifts for revolutionary contributors for the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday 2024.

Lao newspaper highlights values of Vietnam's August Revolution

The Pasaxon newspaper of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party has run an article with congratulations to Vietnam on the 78th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945).

President Vo Van Thuong attends art performance in tribute to martyrs and revolutionaries

President Vo Van Thuong joined other officials and former leaders on July 19 at an art performance in tribute to martyrs and revolutionaries, on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947-2023).

PM asks for development of professional, modern, humanitarian revolutionary press

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a working session with the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA) in Hanoi on June 13, during which he highlighted the need to further develop a contingent of highly-qualified journalists and a professional, modern and humanitarian Vietnamese revolutionary press, for the interest of the nation and the people’s happiness.

Source: NDO