THE LAST VALLEY: DIEN BIEN PHU AND THE FRENCH DEFEAT IN VIETNAM PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Martin Windrow | 752 pages | 27 Dec 2005 | The Perseus Books Group | 9780306814433 | English | Cambridge, MA, United States The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam PDF Book At the base of both the French and American defeats was this underestimation of the enemy. The level of detail might strike some as overwhelming. A number of quadruple 0. Davis, Allan M. I can easily rate this is in my top 10 favorite books. Overall, the result is disappointing. First Indochina War. This is a European-centric telling of the battle. By the way, I ain't gonna to guard my coppy right here. Both historians record that Langlais and Marcel Bigeard were known to be on good terms with their commanding officer. To start with, it is indeed a researched book. I can't say enough good thinks about Windrow's historiography. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Even more critical, after the fall of the northern outposts, he isolated himself in his bunker so that he had, in effect, relinquished his command authority". The French colonial army regrouped in Algeria where a new war began, one it was so determined to win that its officers would ultimately attempt a coup d etat. It is the best of the three, my apologies to Bernard Fall for whom I have only the greatest of admiration , probably because Windrow had access to more sources. He didn't alright. The wounded were given basic first aid until the Red Cross arrived, extracted prisoners, and provided better aid to the remainder. By the end of April, Isabelle had exhausted its water supply and was nearly out of ammunition. Anyone who desired to bring the misguided direction of the effort to the fore was either ignored or destroyed by the establishment just as had been the case with the French; John Paul Vann and David Hackworth being but tow examples. Dien Bien Phu was a serious defeat for the French and was the decisive battle of the Indochina war. It is also difficult to believe that after witnessing what happened to the French in Vietnam that the Americans would jump in with such reckless abandon. It only assumed the aspect of a definitive defeat of our forces by reason of its profound psychological effects on French public opinion, which, tired of a war that was unpopular and seemingly without end, demanded in a way that it be ended. They brought in vast amounts of heavy artillery including anti-aircraft guns and managed to move these bulky weapons through difficult terrain up the rear slopes of the mountains. Dien Bien Phu is a true landmark battle. Martin Windrow cheerfully admits in his introduction that he is not a professional historian and that he has provided a synthesis of published work. To them the important thing was that they were getting out of Indochina with their reputations frayed, but intact. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Even before the battle began the French were looking for a way out. This feat, demanded a terrible hardship , a beyond human endurance , a tremendous sacrify in human lives death from exhaustion, injury and sickness - from thin oxygen air inside the tunnel is a strong testament for their heroic resolve and willngness to sacrify everything to win this battle at all cost. Colonel William F. This Day In History. Community Reviews. For the Americans, in particular Dulles, this wasn't enough. The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam Writer Second, from the time the battle opened, things were not working according to French plans. University Press of Kentucky. However, that site had flat to high ground in the center while Dien Bien Phu, in a river basin, eventually became known as the toilet bowl. Pursuant to this strategy, the French would place a forward operating base into Laos, threaten the Viet Minh supply lines, and lure General Vo Nguyen Giap into making a massed assault. The scale of death and destruction in this book is quite breathtaking. The author takes the time to explain the military and political settings of the war in Indo China, offers detailed accounts of the opposing forces and commanders and provides a well researched narrative of the events leading up to this battle. Praising the bravery of the French garrison, the ingenuity of the People's Army - whatever he's talking about, it is filled to the brim with such an enthusiasm and believable emotion that you cannot help but be pulled along for the ride. He gives us vivid portraits of Giap, Castries, and Langlais, fleshing these characters out and crafting a clear and engaging narrative, although it can get dry in a few select parts. Archived from the original PDF on 11 August Dec 30, Manray9 rated it it was amazing Shelves: france , asia. Windrow devotes extensive time to French military issues. Because they would be far from their own bases, the French post would have to be supplied solely from the air. Windrow details well the French approach by the planning and execution Operation Castor executed four months before the siege. Even if the battle had been a huge success, in the end the French still wanted to leave and it seems unlikely they would have gotten a much better deal than the peace accords laid out. To better understand the frustrating diplomatic fencing that occurred in Geneva while France's best troops in Indochina were slowly slaughtered, Ted Morgan's "Valley of Death" holds more detail. And the source material for the Viet Minh side also seems sparse. But Uncle Sam didn't laugh too long.. While they were there, less than a third of the troop were European let alone Legionnaires. Derision for politicians and generals I have in ample quantity after a lifetime of seeing their modus operandi in action! Following this, 37 American transport pilots flew sorties over the course of the battle. Further information: Operation Condor It includes divisions among colonial forces, including the famed Foreign Legion, the African Arm Excellent overview of the battle of Dien Bien Phu and everything behind it. The French, who were exhausted and without reserves, fell back from both positions late in the afternoon. Less well known was the catastrophic French attempt to retain influence in its Far Eastern empire. It is a very long, sometimes dry, read, but well worth it for any one interested. In , the French had begun to strengthen their defenses in the Hanoi delta region to prepare for a series of offensives against Viet Minh staging areas in northwest Vietnam. Main article: Battle of Khe Sanh. Many of the flights operated by the French Air force to evacuate casualties had female flight nurses on board. Another story is the poor showing by the French Air Force. When French paratroopers landed in the jungle on the border between Vietnam and Laos, the Vietnamese quickly isolated the French force and confronted them at their jungle base in a small place called Dien Bien Phu. Namespaces Article Talk. The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam Reviews Well that turned out to be another miscalculation. Jan 15, Stefan rated it it was amazing Shelves: history. Martin Windrow does a excellent job of using a variety of sources to create a narrative that that is easy to follow and remember. In great detail the opening chapters document French losses from to I grew attached to French sergeants and lieutenant-colonels from 60 years ago, to the rankers and file of the garrison who were left in the mud and rot for months with no hope of rescue and came so close to achieving an impossible victory. An interesting topic. Three of its four battalions, however, were absent. History at Home. The battle of Dien Bien Phu in Laos during the First Indochina War proves two things about the French: 1 they are born to lose; and 2 they are warriors. French aerial resupply took heavy losses from Viet Minh machine guns near the landing strip. Long stated twelve years after the defeat: []. On the afternoon of May 7, , the British ocean liner Lusitania is torpedoed without warning by a German submarine off the south coast of Ireland. The French estimated that Viet Minh losses totalled dead and 1, wounded. On September 2, , hours after the Japanese signed their unconditional surrender in World War II , communist leader Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam, hoping to prevent the French from reclaiming their former colonial possession. The most severe fault with The Last Valley , however, lies with its one-sided view of the battle. Smaller attacks on Eliane 4 were also pushed back. At the next day, the Algerian battalion fell back, abandoning Gabrielle to the Viet Minh. When French paratroopers landed in the jungle on the border between Vietnam and Laos, the Vietnamese quickly isolated the French force and confronted them at their jungle base in a small place called Dien Bien Phu. Decisive Democratic Republic of Vietnam victory [3] [4]. Location within Vietnam. For the Americans, in particular Dulles, this wasn't enough. There is nothing wrong and in fact it can be quite informative to take a sympathetic perspective from the French point of view. He also establishes a connection with the subjects by taking the time to name and describe the people he is talking about.