In 1953, our army's strategic attacks in key areas forced the French colonialists to disperse their forces to cope and bankrupted the initial plan to concentrate the forces of the Navarre plan. To save the situation on the battlefield, France, with the help of the United States, greatly increased its military force and war costs, planning to destroy most of our main army within 18 months and take control of our territory. Vietnam and Indochina.

On November 20, 11, France launched an operation to capture Dien Bien Phu, Gradually build this place into a strong stronghold. They believed that this was a "huge, unassailable fortress" and that General Giap would "not dare to accept battle", because the Viet Minh Army had never attacked such a large group of strongholds, if they did. Attacking Dien Bien Phu will lead to suicide.

General Vo Nguyen Giap and comrades in the Campaign Command met to discuss the battle plan for the Dien Bien Phu Campaign in 1954. File photo 

The problem facing the Campaign Command in general, and General Vo Nguyen Giap in particular, is not that they do not dare to attack where the enemy is strong, but how to attack to destroy such a strong base group? Because if we cannot defeat the enemy's form of stronghold group defense, we cannot open up a favorable situation for the resistance war to develop.

Choosing Dien Bien Phu as the decisive strategic battlefield essentially means that we have chosen the direction of strategic attack mainly on where the enemy is strong, demonstrating a new development in the art of combat in our campaign in the period 1953-1954. , is the transformation from the direction of "avoiding strong places, attacking weak places" to directly attacking strong areas but with many loopholes of the enemy, from primarily small-scale operations and attacks to large-scale attacks. battlefield nature.

On December 6, 12, the Politburo met and resolved: "Destroy the Dien Bien Phu stronghold group to create a new turning point in the war." On January 1953, 1, General Vo Nguyen Giap, Politburo member and Commander-in-Chief was assigned to be the Campaign Commander and Party Secretary of the Dien Bien Phu Front.

With the knowledge gathered in the process of self-study, research, training, the experience of fighting the enemy to defend the country of the Vietnamese people, military history in the world and outstanding military talent, General Vo Nguyen Giap clearly understood the great honor and responsibility that the Politburo and President Ho Chi Minh had entrusted with the task through his instructions before leaving: "Commander in Chief goes to the front. General on bail. Give me full authority to make decisions."

On January 12, 1, at Tuan Giao, the General heard a report from Comrade Hoang Van Thai, Chief of Staff of the Campaign. The Front's Party Committee and all agreed with the Campaign motto of "fight quickly, resolve quickly". Chinese advisor Vi Quoc Thanh also affirmed: If we do not take advantage of the opportunity to attack early when the enemy is still unable to stand firmly, so that if they increase troops and strengthen their fortifications tomorrow, we will not be able to attack, we will miss the opportunity. Obviously, even though he is the Commander and Secretary of the Front Party Committee, the majority have different opinions, something the General must consider. He remembered Uncle Ho's words before going to the front: "This battle is very important, we must fight to win!" If you are sure to win then fight, if you are not sure to win then don't fight.

According to the motto "rapid attack, quick settlement", the Campaign duration was expected to be 3 nights and 2 days, with shooting on January 20, 1. But with the enemy's defense strengthening and after many days of monitoring, the General realized that the enemy was no longer in a temporary state of defense, but had become a group of fortified strongholds, our artillery. The main firepower of the Campaign could not be pulled into the battlefield on time. If "attack quickly, resolve quickly", victory is not guaranteed.

On the other hand, preparations for our Campaign still have many difficulties, such as: Our soldiers do not have experience in attacking strongholds; This is the first battle in which we have fought a coordinated attack between infantry and artillery on a large scale, but our troops have not gone through any drills; Our soldiers have so far only been accustomed to fighting at night, in terrain that is easy to hide in, and have no experience in attacking during the day on wide, flat, empty terrain; Now having to fight continuously for 2 days and 3 nights with the French army, which has superior firepower, will inevitably cause casualties, making it difficult to complete the mission.

With the perspective of a military genius in assessing and predicting strategies of plots, methods, and tactics of combat of the French army through the Navarre plan and practice on the Indochina battlefield, especially the enemy in the war. At Dien Bien Phu, the General did not underestimate the strength of the French at this group of strongholds, always deeply understanding that only defeating the enemy's form of defense with the Dien Bien Phu stronghold group would be decisive. victory in the resistance war against the French colonialists.

After many days of thinking, General Vo Nguyen Giap said: To ensure complete victory for the Campaign, we must temporarily stop shooting, pull out the artillery, and prepare more to attack according to the new combat motto of "fight firmly, advance." sure". However, changing the combat motto will pose many new difficulties, because our troops are prepared to fight quickly, the infantry has deployed in formation, most of the artillery that has entered the battlefield has now withdrawn to work. causing soldiers to easily become confused.

Moreover, all preparation work will have to be done from scratch, and difficulties in supply and transportation of supplies when the rainy season comes... will increase. But because of the difficulties and obstacles caused by the long campaign, we cannot choose a way of fighting that does not guarantee victory.

At the request of General Vo Nguyen Giap, after many hours of discussion with a spirit of solidarity and a high sense of responsibility, the Front Party Committee agreed to change the combat motto, which is a great determination, clearly demonstrating demonstrates the Central Party's thorough grasp of the ideology of guiding and ensuring victory.

The General concluded: Fighting according to the motto "fight quickly, win quickly" is bound to fail and decided to switch to the motto "fight firmly, advance firmly". This is a wise decision imbued with a sharp personal military vision, bravery, courage, decisiveness, boldness, and insight, demonstrating a very high responsibility for the victory of the Campaign and the blood of the officers. soldiers of the leader; decisive factor in ensuring the victory of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.

With the motto "firm fight, steady advance", we have adjusted our forces and posture, isolated the enemy in the Dien Bien Phu stronghold group, cut off air support, and besieged the entire Dien Bien stronghold group. The government and each French resistance center, destroying each part towards defeating the entire enemy. This motto demonstrates the prominence of the art of people's war, the art of using force, the art of avoiding strong places, attacking weak places; Be sure to fight, be sure to advance, if you are not sure of winning, don't fight.

Under the wise leadership of our Party and President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap became a legendary general, a military genius with many outstanding contributions contributing to great victories not only in resistance war against the French colonialists, but also in the resistance war against the US and to save the country, such as: General Offensive and Uprising in the Spring of Mau Than (1968), Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu in the Air (1972), Dai The Spring 1975 victory unified the country, writing glorious pages in the history of the Vietnamese people.

General Vo Nguyen Giap is a leading expert on the people's war policy of the national liberation movement in the country and around the world, a military commander with outstanding strategic talent, and a master of the arts. People's war, military art.

The military genius of General Vo Nguyen Giap is an extremely valuable example and legacy for generations of officers and soldiers of our Army to follow, apply effectively, and meet the requirements of the task of protecting the Fatherland. in the new situation.

Source: People's Army Newspaper