"BATTLEFIELD VIETNAM" "Dien Bien Phu" " The Legacy" "Between 1945 and 1975, Indochina was racked by one of the longest and most bitter wars of the century." "The battle for Vietnam drew in millions of soldiers" "Vietnamese, French, American, Australian, Korean and British and profoundly affected the lives of vast numbers of civilians." "The American war, which lasted from 1960 to 1975 was a conflict fought with extreme ferocity and destructiveness." "There was on the ground a guerrilla war, firefights, merciless search and destroy operations, and endless sieges." "And also an air war of extreme intensity." "8 millions tons of bombs wroke havoc on the landscape and people." "The war that cost 1.3 million lives, including 58,000 American dead, was about much more than the fate of one small country." "20 years before the first American combat soldier set foot in Vietnam the seeds for America's war had been sown." "THE COLD WAR" "With the partitioning of Europe, East and West after WWII the Western powers were on the alert for communist gains in the territories of the old empires." "Soviet expansion in Europe was perceived as the greatest threat." "In October 1949 Mao Tse Tung proclaimed the People's Republic of China." "The battle lines of the Cold War were now clearly drawn." "To American strategists, the communist victory in China fueled the fear of Soviet and communist expansion." "At stake, they believed, were economic interests throughout Asia and the Pacific and U.S. communication and trade links to the Indian Ocean." "President Eisenhower believed that one Asian country falling to communism would bring down its neighbors in a Domino Effect." "Soviet and Chinese power would advance Southwards until even the Australian continent was threatened." "It was Indochina that seemed to hold the key to the future of Southern Asia." "The region bordered the newly created Chinese People's Republic and was still a French colony." "The French strategy was to hold on to power... by creating puppet states in Vietnam Laos and Cambodia." "The biggest obstacle to the French plan was the Vietminh, a huge Vietnamese independence movement." "In September 1945 under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh the Vietnamese League for Independence known as the Vietminh took Hanoi from the Japanese occupying forces and declared independence for the Democratic Republic of Vietnam." "In the South, the Japanese surrendered to the British." "However, France still considered Vietnam her colony." "General Gracey, the British commander, ordered the Japanese rearmed to fight the Vietminh to retake the colony." "Thus the French Indochina war began." "In the war between the French and the Vietminh..." "The U.S. had until recently stayed strictly neutral." "U.S. officials had originally supported the Vietminh and its leader Ho Chi Minh and they also strongly opposed the French attempt to keep their old colony." "However, that was before the rise of communist China." "Now the fear was that if the Vietminh beat the French they would open the door to the Chinese and the Soviets." "Cold war politics had come to Vietnam." "DIEN BIEN PHU" "The Soviet Union and China recognized the Vietminh as the only legitimate government of Vietnam in January, 1950." "Already China was giving Ho Chi Minh arms, ammunition and training bases." "The US for its part recognized a French creation, the state of Vietnam and US president Harry Truman approved a program of military and economic help." "But even before the order was signed, the situation changed dramatically." "In June, 1950 war broke out in Korea." "Communist northern forces, backed by the Soviet Union and China invaded the South, and the U.S. sent troops to intervene." "By October, American units were locked in combat with Chinese divisions on the Korean battlefield." "Now it seemed to the US more important than ever to contain China on every possible front." "That meant a massive increase in backing for the French in Vietnam." "By 1953, a year into the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower" "US support for the French war against the Vietminh had turned into a flood of arms and cash." "The US paid 3/4 of the cost a staggering one billion dollars in 1954." "The problem was that even with colossal American aid the French were failing to beat the Vietminh." "The guerrillas now numbered 120,000 trained troops backed by 200,000 local fighters." "As French casualties passed 50,000 in France the public grew weary of the seemingly endless war." "There were calls for negotiations with the Vietminh." "Pressure for talks grew even greater as the conflict in Korea ended." "But Eisenhower and his Vice President Richard Nixon were dead set against any compromise." "In spite of US opposition some kind of peace effort in Indochina looked inevitable." "The hope was that the French might win a major battlefield victory and so strengthen their hand in any talks." "The result was a plan for a big offensive in late 1953." "The main effort would be in Southern Vietnam but the French also meant to launch a blocking operation in the North that just might deliver a major victory." "By now vast tracts of French Indochina had fallen under Vietminh control." "In the Northeast of Vietnam, the only French territory was an enclave around Hanoi." "The insurgence main military stronghold was on the Viet Bac a mountainous region near the Chinese border." "To the Vietminh, already in control of vast areas of Laos its royal capital, Luang Prabang, offered a tempting target and the French were keenly aware of the danger." "The French plan was to create at Dien Bien Phu, deep in hostile territory... a fortified base which would threaten the enemy supply lines to Laos." "Just as important, the fort might act as bait luring the Vietminh to attack with their best troops." "The base could be supplied from Laos overland and it could also be reinforced by air." "The result they hoped for would be a set-piece battle that would allow superior French firepower to inflict a decisive defeat on the Vietminh." "In late November 1953, the Vietminh 316th division advanced towards Laos just as the French had expected." "On November 20th, 800 elite French paratroopers including a battalion of the Foreign legion would drop near Dien Bien Phu." "The reaction of the Vietminh was to march elements of five more divisions towards the French camp." "The French paratroopers at Dien Bien Phu quickly set about building fortifications and an air strip." "The idea was to mount offensive sweeps into the surrounding area but soon the French were forced to think again." "As the Vietminh massed around the base it became suicidal to venture far outside." "Within two months, as the noose around Dien Bien Phu was drawn ever tighter even a fighting withdrawal was no longer an option for the French." "Even though his forces were now surrounded... the French commander, Col. Christian De Castries, was completely confident." "He was certain that aircraft could supply all the base's needs." "Only enemy artillery posed any real danger." "Some Vietminh guns had begun to fire on the base but the French were sure that only a handful could have been deployed in such difficult hilly terrain." "As for Vietminh's supplies and reinforcements French air power would make sure they never reached Dien Bien Phu." "Even though up to 100 French planes attacked Vietminh supply routes every day their efforts were having little effect." "Too often, aircraft were grounded by the weather, and in any case, the Vietminh were masters of camouflage... and deployed huge numbers of antiaircraft guns." "In a massive effort over several months..." "Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap, the Vietminh commander, used 50,000 support troops to deploy more than 200 artillery pieces and antiaircraft guns and a vast supply of ammunition around Dien Bien Phu." "It was one of the most extraordinary feats of logistics in military history." "To the 10,000 French now inside the base, the realization that they were surrounded by field guns and mortars and 4 deadly soviet Katusha rocket systems, came as a dreadful shock." "The French base at Dien Bien Phu had been sited on a flat valley floor" "The airstrip and headquarters were the focus for the main battle position:" "A complex of five strongholds codenamed..." "Françoise, Huguette, Claudine, Eliane, Domininque" "To break up attacks, strong points Anne Marie," "Gabrielle, Beatrice and Isabelle had been created on a series of low hills." "The base was manned by nine infantry battalions and two crack parachute battalions." "For support there were artillery and mortars by tanks and fighter bombers." "By early march 1954... 49,000 Vietminh had deployed around Dien Bien Phu." "3 infantry divisions and 2 independent regiments were supported by the field guns of the 351st heavy division on the hills to the East, and by heavy mortars on all sides." "Anti aircraft guns were secretly placed to cover the air routes in and out of the valley." "As the weeks went on, Vietminh artillery caused more and more casualties amongst the French at Dien Bien Phu." "The fortifications had never been meant to withstand heavy artillery and the French were horrified to find that neither counter battery fire nor air strikes were able to silence the enemy guns." "They were too well dug in to hill side caves and bunkers and too well camouflaged." "Any day now, the French knew, they would face an all out enemy attack." "It came on march 13th, 1954." "The Vietminh assault began with a massive artillery bombardment." "French gun positions in the central area were hammered." "In three days after repeated human wave assaults and hopeless French counter attacks," "The Vietminh took the northern strong points of Beatrice, Gabrielle and Anne Marie." "The loss of their northern outposts cost the French 1,500 men." "The Vietminh had suffered much worse, nearly 7,000 killed and wounded but they had proved that the French defenses could be overcome." "They had also closed down the base's main airfield for good." "The French would now have to depend on parachute drops for supply and reinforcement." "After a two week low, the Vietminh renewed their offensive." "The battle raged for a fortnight with the French contesting every foot of ground." "In the end, shocking Vietminh casualties forced Gen. Giap to pause." "Meanwhile, the French situation was getting desperate." "Ammunition and food was short ...and 3,000 wounded were trapped inside the base in appalling conditions." "With disaster looming on the battlefield the French appealed to the U.S. for help." "There was a plan to use American bombers and even to drop 4 nuclear weapons which was codenamed Operation Vulture." "But Eisenhower ruled out any American military intervention unless other allies took part." "None agreed to help." "The French at Dien Bien Phu were to be left to their fate." "Although the outpost Isabelle was still on French hands, it was by now cut off from the central stronghold at Dien Bien Phu." "Besieged by the Vietminh 304th division Isabelle was under heavy artillery fire." "Incredibly, although attacked time and time again, the post would hold out until the very end of the battle." "In the central sector, strong point Françoise had been abandoned and the Vietminh had captured Dominique along with part of Eliane and Huguette." "However, there were two new strong points:" "Sparrowhawk and Juno." "Meanwhile, the Vietminh had adopted new tactics in an attempt to reduce their terrible casualties." "Secretly they had dug more than 50 miles of trenches creeping right up to the French perimeter." "The final Vietminh assault came on the night of may first 1954." "After a massive barrage, the Vietminh infantry hit the remaining bunkers of Huguette and Eliane." "In spite of fierce French resistance, positions fell one by one until on the evening of the sixth day a huge mine demolished part of Eliane and its last bunkers were overrun." "At 5:30 PM of may 7th 1954  Vietnamese forces occupied the French command post and the French commander ordered his troops to cease fire." "It was 55 days to the minute since the battle had begun." "At Dien Bien Phu, 3,000 French troops had been killed and 8,000 wounded." "The Vietminh had suffered much worse with more than 8,000 dead and 12,000 wounded." "but for them the outcome had still been a triumph." "On the eve of an international conference on Indochina, they had shuttered France's resolve to carry on the war." "The Vietminh expected that the negotiations at Geneva, would open the way for full Vietnamese independence and a major role for them in running the new country." "In fact, the Vietminh negotiators faced bitter disappointment." "Behind closed doors, Chinese prime minister Zhou Enlai struck a deal with the French and forced Ho Chi Minh to agree that the country be divided into 2 zones." "There was to be a cease fire, but there would be no immediate decision about... who was going to control Vietnam until elections settled the future." "After Dien Bien Phu, the Vietminh had controlled 3/4 of Vietnam and parts of Laos and Cambodia." "At the peace conference Laos and Cambodia were confirmed as independent states but Vietnam was divided at the 17th parallel." "The Vietminh were given control of the northern part the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, with its capital in Hanoi." "In the South, the state of Vietnam was to be run from Saigon." "A Demilitarized Zone was established between the two regions." "By agreement 190,000 French led troops would be withdrawn from North to South Vietnam." "80,000 Vietminh troops in the South, mostly Southerners would go to the North." "For the French, the prospect of withdrawing from the Northern part of Vietnam was deeply humiliating." "However, they still assumed France would continue to play a major role in the South." "The illusion would not last for long." "France's role was already being taken over by the United States." "On September 8 1954, at a conference in the Philippines... the U.S. sponsored the creation of the South East Asia Treaty Organization which would soon include South Vietnam." "The Americans were now dealing directly... with the new South Vietnamese Government, led by Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem." "They had begun to bypass the French completely." "On October 9th, 1954 the Vietminh 308th division, veterans of Dien Bien Phu marched in triumph into Hanoi in accordance with the Geneva agreement." "At the same time, the last French troops in the North prepared to leave." "With them went 850,000 refugees encouraged by a CIA black propaganda campaign and fearing for their future under Vietminh rule." "Before the very eyes of the French and the Vietnamese people..." "Vietnam was crystallizing into two separate states, each with its own government, ...its own army and its own cold war allies." "THE LEADERS – North Vietnam" "For Ho Chi Minh, the North Vietnamese president... ..the years following the Geneva agreement were bitterly disappointing." "Ho was adored by millions of Vietnamese North and South as the man who had driven out the French." "But he had only won half the victory South Vietnam, backed by the U.S., refused to hold the elections that had been agreed at Geneva." "The Elections Ho had counted on  and which the U.S. knew he would win, to reunify the country." "Everything pointed to the fact that the division of Vietnam would be permanent." "As a nationalist and founder of the Indochinese communist party Ho Chi Minh was fast transforming North Vietnam." "The party took control of almost every sphere of life." "The reconstruction of the war ravaged economy was pushed ahead at incredible speed." "One of Ho Chi Minh's highest priorities was to get as much aid for North Vietnam as he could from the Soviet Union and China." "In July 1955 in Moscow, he won promises of cash help for the North to stave off a food crisis" "The Russians also pledged to send technicians and military advisors." "at the same time China meant to match or even better the Soviet offer." "Although Ho Chi Minh's biggest ambition was to reunify North and South Vietnam so far he had urged his followers to be patient." "He had refused to back guerrilla warfare against the South." "Both China and the Soviet Union were also insisting on caution." "But by 1958, pressure to back an armed campaign was mounting." "The tens of thousands of Southern Vietminh soldiers who came North after the Geneva accords, were by now restless and homesick." "There was more pressure from inside the South, where the Vietminh that had stayed behind were being wiped out by the new regime." "In the Northern government, an increasingly powerful faction of Southerners... led by Le Duan, the Communist Party General Secretary, was also arguing for strong measures." "In January 1959 with Ho Chi Minh's blessing the North Vietnamese Communist Party voted to support armed revolution in South Vietnam." "To help the campaign, 4,500 Vietminh Southerners were prepared for infiltration back into the South." "THE LEADERS – South Vietnam / United States" "By 1957, two years after taking power in South Vietnam," "Ngo Dinh Diem had impressed the United States." "He had used the army forcibly against gangsters and armed religious groups." "It had looked for a while as if President Diem could create a viable non-communist state in South Vietnam and win the support of the Southern people." "In fact Diem had no intention of introducing the democracy or the social reforms that the United States wanted." "He unleashed a savage campaign against his political opponents using the army and Police to make mass arrests." "There was widespread torture and summary executions." "At the same time Diem's own family built up enormous wealth and power while most of the South Vietnamese continued to live in dire poverty." "By September 1960 to the immense frustration of the United States which was pouring in aid," "Diem's regime was detested by vast numbers of South Vietnamese." "There was already virtual civil war  with armed rebellions breaking out all over the country." "Increasingly the revolts were being led by nationalist and communist guerrillas and some trained men infiltrated down from the North." "Over 12 months 1,400 local government officials and civilians were killed, and a further 700 kidnapped." "In South Vietnam the guerrillas began to mount bold attacks on military posts, convoys and railways." "As events in South Vietnam spiraled towards chaos in January 1961 John F. Kennedy took office as the 35th president of the United States." "Almost at once, Kennedy faced a series of Cold War crises." "Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev was preparing to resume atmospheric testing of atomic weapons." "Khrushchev also promised to increase Russian support for communism around the world." "The climax came in August 1961 with the tense standoff in Europe as the Russians sealed off East Berlin and began to build the Berlin wall." "Kennedy's reaction to the sense of mounting threat was to order a massive strengthening of American defenses." "He ordered the call up of 150,000 military reservists." "A program was launched to build public nuclear fall out shelters right across the United States." "There was a surge in arms production especially Strategic Nuclear Weapons." "With so many immediate crises demanding the attention of the president Vietnam was far down the White House agenda." "All the same, concern was growing." "The south Vietnamese guerrillas were now 17,000 strong." "In September 1961 there were 450 attacks.." "...some involving hundreds of guerrillas at a time." "STRATEGY – The Vietcong" "Shortly after the decision to mount an armed revolution in South Vietnam an organization had been created to control the military and political effort." "This organization, the National Liberation Front, represented a wide range of political, ethnic and religious groups." "The military wing of the NLF was the People's Liberation Army." "The army included guerrillas who had been sent down from North Vietnam, Vietminh veterans and local armed groups." "The main purpose of the force was to support the political battle and the civilian leaders of the front kept tight control." "President Diem christened them the Vietcong, the Vietnamese communists, and the name stuck." "The Vietcong meant to follow the same kind of political and military strategy that had won the war against the French." "Politics, diplomacy and Violence would be carefully coordinated so each always worked with the others." "For the time being, military activity would take second place to the political effort." "Many hoped that a full scale war would never be necessary." "Others, particularly those closely connected with the North saw a military campaign as the key to victory and expected it to pass through three critical stages:" "In the first phase of the revolution with the NLF's insurgence greatly outnumbered by Saigon's army, the task for guerrilla units would be to survive in the face of government's attack." "Safe base areas would be created as defensive sanctuaries and as springboards for small scale guerrilla attacks." "In the second phase the insurgence would deploy larger units and would seek out bigger battles." "The opposing forces would be more evenly balanced  and under relentless pressure, the enemy would become defensive and static." "In the third phase, at the key moment when the NLF became stronger than the government army they would launch large scale assaults against enemy installations and seek out decisive conventional battles." "In this phase the general offensive, would bring the downfall of the Saigon regime and the reunification of Vietnam." "While the revolution was in its early phase, the NLF meant to build up its organization as fast as it possibly could." "Political agents founded dozens of associations to bring every kind of support into the movement." "There were associations for women, farmers, students and workers." "In less than 2 years, the front claimed 300,000 members." "At the same time as it built up grassroots support the NLF meant to intensify its military operations." "Bigger attacks on government forces would gain the movement prestige." "Meanwhile intensive training and preparation by North Vietnamese officers would forge the Vietcong into an efficient and formidable fighting machine." "STRATEGY – South Vietnam / United States" "As the NLF tightened their grip on the countryside the South Vietnamese army began to behave exactly as the guerrillas had expected them to." "They grew increasingly defensive staying in fortified posts and never venturing out after dark." "Battles only happened when the guerrillas chose and the army suffered a steady drain of casualties." "By now there were 900 American military advisors in South Vietnam charged with building up and training the South Vietnamese armed forces." "They were appalled by the army's dismal performance against the guerrillas ...but saw no reason why the South Vietnamese shouldn't be able to cope." "What they wanted was a much more aggressive approach." "American advice was that the army should get out on mobile operations and find the bigger enemy units." "The Civil Guard and militia could look after local security." "The Americans developed a counter insurgency plan supposed to better coordinate the different forces but progress on the ground was painfully slow." "While the handful of American personnel struggled to improve the situation inside South Vietnam, in Washington military planners worried about the external threat." "The fear was that North Vietnam or even China might take advantage of the South's weakness." "Already, with the approval of the White House, a contingency plan had been drawn up for putting in American combat troops if an invasion looked imminent." "If North Vietnam or China looked likely to invade the South the American contingency plan OPLAN32 called for rapid deployments." "A Marine expeditionary force would be based at Da Nang, an army division near Saigon, ...and another near Pleiku." "Another division might be sent to bolster Thailand." "If the invasion actually happened, U.S. forces would be increased by another 3 divisions." "Aircraft carriers and land based bombers would be positioned for massive attacks on North Vietnam, while amphibious, airborne and ground forces would mount a full scale invasion of northern territory." "By now, the guerrilla war in South Vietnam looked so dangerous that American military planners believed the country might collapse even without a northern invasion." "The Joint Chiefs of Staff, the President's military advisors, argued that the best option was to implement OPLAN32 anyway and put 3 divisions into South Vietnam." "The first 20,000 men would show the United States was serious they believed the rest, up to 70,000 troops would be enough to clean up the guerrilla threat altogether." "Although the secretary of defense, Robert McNamara, was in favor of sending in troops, president Kennedy had no desire to embroil American soldiers in an Asian guerrilla war." "But neither could the president afford accusations that he was soft on communism." "In November 1961, Kennedy approved a compromise plan drawn up between McNamara and the Secretary of State Dean Rusk." "Phase I of the Vietnam plan would see a big increase in financial support for the South Vietnamese army." "The number of American military advisors in Vietnam would be raised to over 3,000." "More American equipment would be sent, including helicopters, ...300 pilots to fly them, and maintenance personnel." "For the time being, the president put off a decision on the second phase.... ...the possible deployment of American combat troops." "THE OPPOSING FORCES – South Vietnam" "By the end of 1961, the South Vietnamese army was being expanded to 200,000 men." "South Vietnam also had marine units, a small air force flying American aircraft, and a navy for coastal patrol." "As well as the regular armed forces, there was the 68,000 men paramilitary Civil Guard, and various local militia." "Since the United States had started rebuilding the south Vietnamese army back in 1955, the force had been organized, armed and trained to fight large scale battles." "The danger had been expected to come from the North Vietnamese or Chinese armies,  not from guerrilla bands." "Commanders had been taught to mount big operations and to use massive firepower wherever they could." "In fact the south Vietnamese army's entire structure and military doctrine had been copied wholesale from the United States armed forces." "Senior American commanders had no doubt they were teaching the South Vietnamese the right tactics for the war they had to fight." "Their main worries were about leadership and morale." "President Diem had appointed his generals for their political loyalty, ...rather than their abilities, while junior officers promotions depended on family connections." "As for the men, they were sometimes so poorly supplied that they had to steal food." "Desertions were running at 400 a month." "THE OPPOSING FORCES – The Vietcong" "As the NLF guerrillas began recruiting and training all over South Vietnam, they quickly built up their combat forces to 17,000 men and women." "These were the main force troops, uniformed and trained to fight anywhere in units 100 strong." "Main force battalions were under the direct control of the NLF high command and a high proportion of their officers  were trained troops from the North." "The NLF were also creating regional and local forces." "Regional troops were controlled by district commanders." "They were less well armed and trained than the main forces but their scattered units could come together to create powerful formations wherever they were needed." "Local guerrilla units were based in the villages." "They were part time soldiers whose main job was to defend areas where the NLF was gaining control." "In villages where the movement's influence was weaker they served to intimidate opponents and show the wishes of the NLF were always to be taken seriously." "The vast majority of the new recruits to the NLF were teenagers with no military experience." "In the hamlets, they were organized by political officers into three person cells." "Long ago the Chinese communists had found that 3 made for a group more tightly knit and loyal than any other number." "Although some weapons from the North, including Chinese mortars and machine guns, were beginning to reach NLF units, most guerrillas had to use whatever they could get." "Rifles and equipment captured from the government's army or leftover from the French war made up the bulk of the arsenal." "There were also secret factories making small arms and turning up grenades and mines in enormous numbers." "Local forces depended on even more primitive weapons." "Some were designed mainly to frighten intruders but others were extremely dangerous." "Punji traps, sharp spikes hidden in pits could easily disable an enemy soldier." "Punjis were often contaminated to increase the risks of infection." "WAR" "By the end of 1961, the Saigon government was forced to admit it was faced with a full scale war." "Every week, over 1,000 people were being killed." "All over the country, the NLF were organizing whole districts along communist lines controlling education, health and agriculture." "There were whole areas which had seen no government troops or officials for years." "In spite of all the setbacks, American military advisors in South Vietnam were still confident the fight against the communists could be won." "By this time they themselves were getting more deeply involved in the battle." "Advisors were strictly forbidden to engage in actual combat but the reality of war was starting to take over." "On December 11th the helicopters promised by president Kennedy arrived at the Saigon Docks." "With them came 400 US personnel to maintain and fly the aircraft." "Within weeks, the helicopters and their American pilots would be in action on the Vietnamese battlefield." "Subtitling:" "DeStrangis."