Interesting little nugget, if that particular epic fight ever caught your eye. Historic Vietnam site in new battle: tourism; Country faces many challenges in tourism market - New York Daily News
A reminder via twitter from Professor Tony Pollard that next year is the 70th anniversary of the battel. Plus he recommended a film I'd not heard of directed by Pierre Schoendoerffer on the battle made in 1992 with active assistance from the French and Vietnamese military. See: Dien Bien Phu (film) - Wikipedia and Diên Biên Phú (1992) ⭐ 6.2 | Drama, War Pierre earlier in had made a stunning film for a platoon led by a French officer and NCO, available on DVD only in French, La 317 Eme Section (The 317th Platoon), set in 1954, in the jungles. See: The 317th Platoon - Wikipedia and The 317th Platoon (1965) ⭐ 7.3 | War
Some French visit the site of the battle of Caobang-Dongkhe, which was arguably even more important than Dienbienphu for the final outcome of the war . The road (the old RC 4) is still in use but the country is still heavily overgrown. I have not heard of organized tour groups though. The whole area is on the Chinese border so the Vietnamese may be sensitive about that.
Not tourism. Notre ange, Geneviève, est mort. France mourns nurse known as Angel of Dien Bien Phu The "Getty Images" photograph captioned "French veterans of the Dien Bien Phu battle, including Geneviève de Galard on 30 April 2004" within the BBC report was taken at Aubagne, on the occasion of La Fête de Camerone. The monument aux morts can be seen in the background. The anciens on the left and right of the photograph, escorting the carrier of the hand of Capitaine D'Anjou, are both former Legion Parachutistes. Le Monde reported on Geneviève's involvement with the occasion on 29th of April 2004: https://www.lemonde.fr/une-abonnes/...u-va-remonter-la-voie-sacree_362908_3207.html Time marches on, it waits for no one. Adieu mon sœur. Jim. Geneviève de Galard, the 'Angel of Dien Bien Phu,' dies at 99 For the record, Geneviève was not the only woman at Dien Bien Phu, but that's a story for another time.
Those days (courtesy of Getty video) Paramount News film reports. "Freedom For Heroic Nurse of Dien Bien Phu" superimposed over... Stock Footage Video - Getty Images "Paramount News issue no 99" / Title "New York greets an angel "... Stock Footage Video - Getty Images Kind regards, always, Jim.
There is an article by Chris Mullin, ex-Labour MP, after he visited Dien Bien Phu: Chris Mullin | At Dien Bien Phu
Ahhh, Chris Mullin. He has some knowledge of explosives in confined spaces doesn't he? Usually keeps it to himself though. Jim.
