DIEN BIEN PHU, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam on Tuesday celebrated the 70th anniversary of the battle of Dien Bien Phu in which the French colonial army was defeated by Vietnamese troops, marking the end of 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 northwestern Vietnam.
When Dien Bien Phu fell in 1954, it spelled the end of almost a century of French colonial rule.
“The historic Dien Bien Phu victory is a remarkable event, not only for the Vietnamese revolution,” Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said in a speech at the ceremony. “It is also a monumental saga that inspired countries rising up to fight for independence and freedom, marking the collapse of the colonialism all over the world.”
On Tuesday morning, the commemoration was held at a stadium in the center of Dien Bien Phu, once a village in a valley dense with trenches, barbed wires and bomb craters. It is now a city of more than 80,000 people.
Biden bows to pressure from anti
People go outside to enjoy scenery of flowers in many parts of China
Migratory birds seen at Lake Balikun in China's Xinjiang
Minjiang River estuary nature reserve in Fujian, SE China
Emily Andre shares sweet snap breastfeeding her baby daughter in hospital as she thanks midwives
Autumn scenery at Pofengling Scenic Area in Beijing
Scenery of Minjiang River estuary wetland in Fuzhou
Wild animals frequently spotted along a river valley in Tibet, indicating improving biodiversity
North Dakota state rep found guilty of misdemeanor charge tied to budget votes and building
Lotus flowers at West Lake of Hanoi, Vietnam
Radek Faksa scores in return, Stars oust defending Stanley Cup champ Golden Knights 2
Azalea flowers enter blooming season in Guizhou, SW China