Dien Bien Phu

[Schiller]

I don't mean to offend the Frenchmen(and perhaps Frenchwomen), but I'd like to know more about the battle of Dien Bien Phu. Where is Dien Bien Phu located? Did the Foreign Legion fight in the battle? How many casualties were there on both sides, the French and the Vietnamese? And what kind of weapons were used?

Somebody help me out here plz....

[Brandon]

Here is a good website with all the info you'll need.

http://www.dienbienphu.org/english/

[Jooglae]

I'm into it these days, and I believe that about 3,000 Legionnaires fought in the battle.

In the battle, of about 18,000-men strong French paratroopers, 10,000 were killed in the isolated stronghold near the border of Vietnam and Laos. From the 8,000 survivors who surrendered in the end, only about 3,000 went back home to France. The losses of Vietminh were also considerable, but they did win the battle at last.

So the Frenchmen learned a great lesson here........Never underestimate your foe.