(VOVWORLD) - A seminar titled “Military art in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign – practical lessons in combat training” was jointly organized by the Army Corps 12 and the People’s Army Newspaper in Ninh Binh Province on Thursday.
 An overview of the seminar |
The event highlighted the stature, historical value, and the successful strategy behind the great victory at Dien Bien Phu, analyzed the military art of the campaign, and stressed the vital vision and inevitable victory of the people’s war strategy and the all-people defense posture under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh.
The participants greatly attributed the Dien Bien Phu victory to the decision on changing the combat motto.
Colonel Tran Ngoc Long, former Deputy Director of the Institute of Military History, said that one key to the success of the Dien Bien Phu campaign was the decision to change the combat motto from “fighting quickly, winning quickly” to “fighting firmly, advancing firmly”.
“This was undeniably a historic decision in the historic campaign. The person who initiated the decision was General Vo Nguyen Giap with who had a high sense of responsibility for tens of thousands of officers and soldiers and was entrusted by the Politburo and President Ho Chi Minh with the great responsibility of leadership,” said Colonel Long.
He noted that General Giap’s strategy called for postponing the shooting, ordering the artillery to be pulled out for a modified preparation in accordance to the new combat motto.
 Seminar participants |
The seminar highlighted the strength of the people’s war, the Party’s leadership, and the solidarity of the entire party, army and people as well as the combination of national strength and support of international friends.