DIEN BIEN PHU, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam on Tuesday celebrated the 70th anniversary of the battle of Dien Bien Phu in which the French colonial army was defeated by Vietnamese troops, marking the end of the French occupation of Indochina. At Dien Bien Phu, Vietnamese troops led by General Vo Nguyen Giap, surprised French forces with heavy artillery fire at their mountainous garrison in northwestern Vietnam. When Dien Bien Phu fell in 1954, it spelled the end of almost a century of French colonial rule. “The historic Dien Bien Phu victory is a remarkable event, not only for the Vietnamese revolution,” Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said in a speech at the ceremony. “It is also a monumental saga that inspired countries rising up to fight for independence and freedom, marking the collapse of the colonialism all over the world.” On Tuesday morning, the commemoration was held at a stadium in the center of Dien Bien Phu, once a village in a valley dense with trenches, barbed wires and bomb craters. It is now a city of more than 80,000 people. |
Line Of Duty star Martin Compston reveals a major update on the future of the BBC crime dramaBrazilian authorities bury deceased migrants who drifted in African boat to the AmazonMariners put leadoffFederal judge temporarily blocks confusing Montana voter registration lawEarly voting begins for North Carolina primary runoff racesHere are 14 players to watch next season across the Atlantic Coast ConferenceKentucky coach Mark Pope adds Baylor assistant Alvin Brooks III as associate head coachJohn Terry reveals Rio Ferdinand has blanked him on the beach in Dubai in a bitter 13Google parent reports another quarter of robust growth, rolls out firstGOP mulls next move after Kansas governor vetoes effort to help Texas in border security fight