The Dien Bien Phu campaign was conducted in 3 stages:

- Stage 1 was from March 13 to 17, 1954, during which Vietnamese soldiers destroyed the Him Lam and Doc Lap strongholds, forced the surrender of the Ban Keo stronghold, destroyed the northern gateway to the Dien Bien Phu stronghold, and threatened Muong Thanh airport.

- Stage 2 lasted from March 30 until April 30, 1954. Vietnamese forces simultaneously attacked eastern strongholds of the central sub-zone to tighten the siege, control Muong Thanh airport, and limit enemy supply to the Dien Bien Phu stronghold. This was the longest and fiercest attack with the two sides fighting for each small section of trench. After the second stage, the center of Dien Bien Phu was in the range of Vietnamese artillery forces. French forces lost their initiative and morale.

- Stage 3 was from May 1 to May 7, 1954. Vietnamese forces occupied eastern strongholds and opened a general offensive on the Dien Bien Phu garrison. On the night of May 6, 1954, Vietnamese soldiers destroyed blockhouses and used explosives to destroy the enemy’s fortified bunkers. At 17:30 on May 7, 1954, Vietnamese forces took control of the enemy command center. General Christian de Castries, the members of his staff, and all the French soldiers at Dien Bien Phu stronghold surrendered. The flag of the Vietnam People’s Army was raised on the bunker of the French command center.

After 56 days and nights, Vietnamese troops smashed the Dien Bien Phu stronghold, killed or captured 16,200 French soldiers, shot down 62 aircraft, and seized all enemy weapons and military equipment.