English - English
Definition of dien bien phu in English English dictionary
- the French military base fell after a 56-day siege by Vietnam troops; ended the involvement of France in Indochina in 1954
- Battle of Dien Bien Phu
- (1953-54) Decisive engagement in the first of the Indochina wars (1946-54) that marked the end of French involvement in Southeast Asia. The French fought the Viet Minh (Lien Viet) for control of a small mountain outpost near Laos. The French occupied the outpost, but the Vietnamese cut all the roads into it, leaving the French to rely on air supplies. Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap then attacked the base with heavy artillery and a force of 40,000 men; the base fell to him despite heavy U.S. aid to the French