5. SourcesSources
Who is the author of your source?Who is the author of your source?
When was your source written? Is it primary orWhen was your source written? Is it primary or
secondary?secondary?
What is the tone of the source (eg biased,What is the tone of the source (eg biased,
reasonable, emotional etc)?reasonable, emotional etc)?
Was there a purpose in writing it? Who was theWas there a purpose in writing it? Who was the
intended audience?intended audience?
What information can you take from this source?What information can you take from this source?
What can it be used for?What can it be used for?
6. Vo Nguyen Giap talks about Dien Bien Phu:Vo Nguyen Giap talks about Dien Bien Phu:
The Dien Bien Phu campaign is a great and first victory of a feudal colonialThe Dien Bien Phu campaign is a great and first victory of a feudal colonial
nation, whose agricultural economy is backward, against the great imperialistnation, whose agricultural economy is backward, against the great imperialist
capitalist which has a modern industry and a great army. Thus, it means a lot tocapitalist which has a modern industry and a great army. Thus, it means a lot to
us, to people all over the world, and to other countries. This is also how Ho Chius, to people all over the world, and to other countries. This is also how Ho Chi
Minh saw it.Minh saw it.
We see the Dien Bien Phu victory as the victory [over] the French army andWe see the Dien Bien Phu victory as the victory [over] the French army and
[over] the intervention of the Americans --because in the Dien Bien Phu[over] the intervention of the Americans --because in the Dien Bien Phu
campaign, 80 percent of the war expenditures were spent by the Americans.campaign, 80 percent of the war expenditures were spent by the Americans.
The Americans had their hands in it. So the Dien Bien Phu defeat was a defeatThe Americans had their hands in it. So the Dien Bien Phu defeat was a defeat
for both the French and the Americans. But whether the Americans had drawnfor both the French and the Americans. But whether the Americans had drawn
the lessons from that, I don't think so. That's why the Americans continued inthe lessons from that, I don't think so. That's why the Americans continued in
South Vietnam. ...South Vietnam. ...
When we received news of the Dien Bien Phu victory, everyone practicallyWhen we received news of the Dien Bien Phu victory, everyone practically
jumped up in the air, they were so happy about it. But Ho Chi Minh said thatjumped up in the air, they were so happy about it. But Ho Chi Minh said that
this is only victory of the first step: we have yet to fight the Americans. It wasthis is only victory of the first step: we have yet to fight the Americans. It was
very clear then.very clear then.
Source: CNN Interview with Vo Nguyen Giap, 1996 (retrieved fromSource: CNN Interview with Vo Nguyen Giap, 1996 (retrieved from
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/11/interviews/giap/http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/11/interviews/giap/
7. A French Foreign Legionnaire reflects on the war:A French Foreign Legionnaire reflects on the war:
The artillery never stopped at night. It was like theThe artillery never stopped at night. It was like the
Battle of the Somme in 1916. Every day we sawBattle of the Somme in 1916. Every day we saw
their trenchlines coming closer and closer. Wetheir trenchlines coming closer and closer. We
could not shoot them because they were belowcould not shoot them because they were below
ground level. All we saw was soil flying into theground level. All we saw was soil flying into the
air. This condition made strong men weak; theair. This condition made strong men weak; the
weak simply broke down. We knew they wereweak simply broke down. We knew they were
coming and would be on top of us in maybe twocoming and would be on top of us in maybe two
weeks or less.weeks or less.
Source: Historical Services of the French Army,Source: Historical Services of the French Army, Reports of the French ExpeditionaryReports of the French Expeditionary
Corps in the Far East: Dien Bien Phu: Documents, Letters, Correspondence. Report ofCorps in the Far East: Dien Bien Phu: Documents, Letters, Correspondence. Report of
Sergeant Jean Claude Casta, Camp Dominique, 4 April 1954Sergeant Jean Claude Casta, Camp Dominique, 4 April 1954
8. Two French scholars assess the war:Two French scholars assess the war:
It is not surprising that the French ExpeditionaryIt is not surprising that the French Expeditionary
Force failed to achieve decisive results… AfterForce failed to achieve decisive results… After
1947, they limited themselves to a series of1947, they limited themselves to a series of
fragmentary and murderous operations. ‘Hit-and-fragmentary and murderous operations. ‘Hit-and-
run’, ‘mopping up’, ‘raking over’, commando raids –run’, ‘mopping up’, ‘raking over’, commando raids –
all of these could never bring victory. On theall of these could never bring victory. On the
contrary, by sowing more and more ruin andcontrary, by sowing more and more ruin and
hatred and by constantly increasing the burden ofhatred and by constantly increasing the burden of
the war upon the people, such actions turned thethe war upon the people, such actions turned the
peasant masses against the French and greatlypeasant masses against the French and greatly
simplified the psychological and material tasks ofsimplified the psychological and material tasks of
the People’s Army.the People’s Army.
Source: Philippe Devillers and Jean Lacouture,Source: Philippe Devillers and Jean Lacouture, End of a War: Indochina, 1954End of a War: Indochina, 1954,,
Pall Mall, London, 1969.Pall Mall, London, 1969.
