>> Part 1: The grasshopper versus the elephant
>> Part 2: Tunnels and trenches
>> Part 3: The battle of Dien Bien Phu
>> Part 4: Bleeding the elephant
>> Part 5: Those are hills with a strong burning smell
Despite heavy losses in the air raids, in the early hours of March 30, the Viet Minh began their second major offensive with a series of attacks against the centre of Dien Bien Phu – the Battle for the Five Hills. Dominique outpost on the left bank of Nam Rom River fell quickly. Several strongpoints on the hills in the east of the valley were taken. Two of the French companies defending Dominique were reduced to such low strength that men tried to flee across the slope to seek refuge at a stronger position below. They were seen as deserters and driven out by that position’s commander, to be caught and killed in the Viet Minh small arms fire.
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| General Vo Nguyen Giap, 1954 |
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| French parachutes at Dien Bien Phu |
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| French paratroopers running for safety, Dien Bien Phu |
At the field hospital, Dr Grauwin would receive 750 seriously wounded men, and for three consecutive days and nights he and four other doctors were performing surgery around the clock. Genevieve de Galard, his only female nurse, also worked around the clock with them and 13 trained nursing orderlies. With her patience and dedication, she was to become the ‘Angel’ of French troops at this relentless battle. The average casualties rose to 120 a day and the medical staff were not able to cope.
Airlift priority had been given to a huge supply of blood and plasma, as well as replacements of X-ray machines. However, due to the problems of refrigeration and irregular parachute drops, these urgent needs would not be met.
On March 30, General Navarre landed in Ha Noi to study the situation. The monsoon season had started and the valley had turned into a sea of deep mud. Ambulances now had great difficulties in getting around and to Dr Grauwin’s hospital with emergency cases.
Moving into the first week of April, French troops were seeing their field communication lines gradually cut off. Many were unable to receive orders and warnings or information from their superiors. They were wary and confused. The Viet Minh were taking control of more outposts and strongpoints. They continued attacks on the airstrips, making them totally un-useable by March 27. The last French attempt to transport wounded men out of Dien Bien Phu for medical treatment was on the morning of March 28. That morning, after loading 25 seriously wounded cases, the mechanics found out that the aircraft was damaged. A commanding officer in Ha Noi sent a radio message that he would fly in to pick up the crew the following night. However, this would prove to be impossible.
The Vietnamese would come to destroy a total of 62 French and American warplanes at Dien Bien Phu. By mid-April the Viet Minh had effectively won the battle, and they now referred to the remainder of the confrontation as “slowly bleeding the dying elephant”. Between artillery barrages, the Viet Minh’s loudspeakers began to broadcast messages in French and German along the valley, persuading General de Castries’ troops to desert and surrender.
Foreseeing the French defeat, on April 14, John Foster Dulles presented to the Congressional leaders his proposal to use atomic weapons to destroy the Viet Minh at Dien Bien Phu. The proposal was seriously discussed, but Lyndon Johnson, the United States Senate Majority Leader, argued that such weapons would wipe out both armies. Since they couldn’t see how the French garrison would survive an atomic attack, the plan was abandoned.
Colonel Christian de Castries was promoted to Brigadier General on Good Friday, April 16. Several others in the field, including Lieutenant Colonel Langlais, were also promoted. Perhaps this was a political decision. For weeks now the Paris media had been praising their troops over the heroic defense of France’s Far Eastern colony, while the French public were watching with horror the developments at Dien Bien Phu.
Having abandoned the airport at Muong Thanh, the French had to parachute in personnel by night and food and ammunition by day. However, they were unable to maintain supplies for their troops. Strong winds forced many of the parachutes to drift into the surrounding fields controlled by the Vietnamese. The Viet Minh also used anti-aircraft guns to bring them down.
Green parachutes, White parachutes,
Camouflage parachutes,
Here is ammunition, Brothers! Be ready to shoot them down…
A major problem was the supply of parachutes. The French had not foreseen that they would need 1000 parachutes each day – each to be used only once. They had run out of supply as early as March 27. The US Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) in Sai Gon headed by Lieutenant General O’ Daniel quickly organized an airlift of 60,000 parachutes to Dien Bien Phu from bases in Japan and the Philippines, to meet the demand.
On May Day, the Viet Minh launched their third major offensive with a series of heavy attacks, and a massive artillery barrage aimed at the strongpoints in the south and east. They captured the eastern outpost, Eliane, which was under General de Castries’ direct command. Colonel Langlais spoke to Colonel Sauvagnac through radio links with an urgent request for a whole battalion of paratroops. He hoped to recapture the eastern hills and to defend the central camp. But Sauvagnac responded that it would be impossible. Colonel Langlais shouted in anger and desperation, “ We shall win this battle without you and in spite of you. This is my last message and I will never speak to you again.”
The following day, de Castries received confirmation of 450 paratroop replacements. They would arrive on May 7, directly from two parachute training schools in France.
In the afternoon, under a heavy rainstorm, the Viet Minh bombarded Isabelle. French troops defending Isabelle could only get six out of eleven cannons to function. Heavy rain continued and parachute supplies were hampered. There were only three days of cold food rations left for French troops. Starvation was predicted.