Dien Bien Phu Victory marked in Dien Bien

An art programme entitled “Unforgettable Days” was held in the northern province of Dien Bien, where the battle of Dien Bien Phu took place 64 years ago, to celebrate the victory that ousted the French from Vietnam.

The gala performance to mark the 64^th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7^th, 1954-2018). (Source: Bao Dien Bien Phu)

Songs and dances were performed to celebrate the previous generations’ heroic struggles and sacrifices to secure a triumph which was described as having resonated across the five continents and shook the world.

With the participation of nearly 100 singers and dancers, the gala night brought the audience back to a historic period of the nation.

Earlier at the Martyrs’ Cemetery A1, a candlelit vigil was held to pay tribute to those who have died for national independence.

At the ceremony, over 150 youths also laid a wreath at the monument and offered incenses at all tombs in the cemetery.

Delegates and youths pay tribute to martyrs on May 6^th. (Source: VNA)

The activity showed the profound gratitude of Vietnamese people in general and Dien Bien youths in particular for the soldiers who laid down their lives for national independence and freedom.

Martyrs’ Cemetery A1, built in 1958 roughly 100 metres south of the A1 Hill, where the battle took place. The cemetery houses 644 martyr tombs, only four of which were engraved with the full names of the martyrs including To Vinh Dien, Be Van Dan, Phan Dinh Giot and Tran Can.

Youths light candles at all tombs. (Source: VNA)

The battle in Dien Bien occurred between March and May 1954 under the command of General Vo Nguyen Giap. The victory led to the signing of the 1954 Geneva Accords on restoring peace in Vietnam and ending nearly 100 years of French colonial rule in Vietnam.

The Dien Bien Phu Victory on May 7, 1954 is considered a glorious “golden milestone” in the Vietnamese nation’s history of fighting foreign aggressors for national independence. It marked the complete collapse of old colonialism all over the world, paving the way for the movement of rising up to struggle for national liberation in colonial countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America./.

VNF