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VIETNAM celebrated the 70th anniversary of the battle of Dien Bien Phu today, in which the French colonial army was defeated by Vietnamese troops, ending the French occupation of Indochina.
At Dien Bien Phu, Vietnamese troops led by General Vo Nguyen Giap surprised French forces with heavy artillery fire at their mountainous garrison in north-western Vietnam. Their surrender in 1954 meant the end of almost a century of French colonial rule.
Speaking in the city centre, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the historic victory was “a remarkable event — not only for the Vietnamese revolution.
“It is also a monumental saga that inspired countries rising up to fight for independence and freedom, marking the collapse of colonialism all over the world,” he said.
Thousands of locals and bemedalled veterans cheered and waved Vietnamese flags as a military parade marched by.
One of the veterans, 94-year-old Nguyen Trung Dung, said the event was a good opportunity for him to meet up with the friends he fought alongside during the battle.
Also in attendance was French Defence Minister Sebastian Lecornu, the first time such a high-ranking French official has visited the former battlefield and attended commemorations.
