Dien Bien Phu, the capital of Dien Bien district in the province of Lai Chau is located in the Muong Thanh valley, 20 km long, 5 km wide and surrounded by wooded mountains. Thai and the Hmong live alongside the majority Kinh, who represent one third of the population of the valley. The city was founded in 1841 by the Nguyen dynasty, in a region once traversed by caravans Burmese and Chinese trading with North Vietnam.

In November 1953, General Henri Navarre, commander in chief of French forces, sent 12 battalions into the bowl of Dien Bien Phu to prevent the Vietminh to the Laotian capital of Luang Prabang. The troops of General Giap besieged the French army and began fighting. On 7 May 1954, troops of General Navarre had to pay after 57 days of fighting. Eight weeks later, the Geneva Conference on Indochina provisional formalized sharing of the country, and the withdrawal of the French colonial army.

Hill A1

Hill A1, which was the most fortified military positions of the 49 installed in valley, is situated in the town of Dien Bien Phu, near the museum of the victory of Dien Bien Phu.

It was clear by 3 lines communicating trenches to achieve: the blockhouse defending access to the summit, the line-offensives against, and finally the underground trench. The final assault was launched on 6 May 1954 in the evening, after the explosion of 970kg of dynamite who dug a deep pit. The fighting lasted 36 days and 2516 deaths were later Vietnamese.

The remains of the victory of Dien Bien Phu

The basin of Dien Bien Phu is comprised of a vast plain 18 km long and 6 to 8 wide, surrounded by mountains. In 1953, the French forces parachut?rent to fill the bowl, in the fortifying of 49 positions divided into 3 main areas. After the victory of 1954, the remains of the battle were gathered in the East. The second site of preservation of the remains of the battle, including the offices of the headquarters of General Vo Nguyen Giap, is located about thirty kilometers of Dien Bien Phu in Muong Phang commune.

Several sites reflect the 55 days and nights of struggle leading to the victory of Dien Bien:

? The museum of the historic victory of Dien Bien Phu

? The military cemeteries of the hill A1 and that of Doc Lap

? Hill A1, the position blocking the strategic sector of the North-east

? The trench operation of French command. Les installations ont ?t? conserv'es intactes The facilities have been kept intact

? The hills of C, D, E

? The command post of the campaign of the Vietnamese army from 21 January to 8 May 1954.