Spiritual power helps to Dien Bien Phu’s victory

The Dien Bien Phu triumph is now 70 years ago, lasting two-thirds of a century. Our weapons were primitive under the exceedingly tough life conditions of our army and people, yet we worked wonders. Many scientists and military historians, both at home and abroad, have recognized that spiritual power played a significant role in the Dien Bien Phu victory.

Heroes of the People’s Armed Forces La Van Cau presented traditional stories to youths, commanders and soldiers from the Military Region 2.

The Dien Bien Phu Campaign’s triumph was due to a combination of circumstances, the most important of which was the Party’s accurate, clever leadership, led by President Ho Chi Minh. Despite shortages and hardships on the battlefield, the main force, guerilla militia, frontline civilians, and young volunteers were ready to fight to the finish. Before the shooting, President Ho Chi Minh issued an encouraging letter to commanders and soldiers on the front lines. The letter stated: "You are going to go to war. Your goal this time is massive, challenging, and wonderful. You have just completed political and military training and have gained several ideological, tactical, and technological wins. Many units also achieved wins on the frontlines. I am confident that you will build on your recent win and be resolute to overcome all challenges and sufferings in order to complete the beautiful mission ahead..."

Obeying the Father’s directions, the young soldiers dedicated their entire heart and soul to suffering trials, making sacrifices, and battling valiantly. Along with several policies and actions to direct and coordinate party work operations, the People’s Army’s political activity has helped to consolidate and strengthen the spirit of resolve to fight and win for troops. Our army and people have fully demolished and gained possession of the French army’s biggest bastion in Indochina after “Fifty-six days and nights digging up mountains, sleeping in trenches, eating rice with rain”. The success of our army and people at Dien Bien Phu ended the Nava plan, as well as the French colonialists' conspiracy to prolong and expand the war and America’s engagement in Indochina.

During the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, not only did a talented general, General Vo Nguyen Giap, appear, but many talented poets, writers, journalists, and musicians appeared, forming a “soldier” that contributed to victory, typically: writer Nguyen Tuan, poet To Huu, musician Hoang Van...

Or the challenges and sufferings on the road to Dien Bien recorded by musician Nguyen Thanh in the song “Via the Northwest” shine vividly via the melodies and lyrics that illustrate the trials and struggles to encourage Uncle Ho’s soldiers. Or the famous work of musician Hoang Van “pulling artillery chanty” has gone beyond the meaning of a song; it also affirms the determination of our army and people above all else, as well as a living image that evokes a period of heroic fighting in our nation’s resistance war against the French colonial invasion. Down in the trenches and fortifications, soldiers still read poetry from hand to hand and learned to sing revolutionary songs, creating an unprecedented exciting atmosphere for attack; even though he only ate cassava and potatoes, used bicycles to transport goods, or dug tunnels and fortifications with infantry hoes, he terrified the enemy and contributed to victory.

Every work, whether it is a piece of literature, a poem, a work of art, a propaganda painting, or a song written by writers and artists during the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, is intended to motivate and encourage soldiers and young volunteers to be determined to expel the enemy. As a result, we not only contributed significantly to Dien Bien Phu’s historic triumph, but we also spread and encouraged our army and people in the resistance battle against the United States and the border protection war. The lyrics and poems that accompany those years are also spiritual food, valuable “assets” with significant political and ideological significance that are still relevant today and in the future.

Dao Duy Tuan