Posted on 08/22/2006 8:42:20 AM PDT by edzo4
The onset of the French to underplanned and underestimate the capabilities of their enemies.
By Jan. 26, 1954, the Viet Minh had built a camouflaged road that they used to ferry troops, anti-aircraft guns and other weapons to the area for what was planned as a two-day, three-night blitz attack.
"The trenches and the artillery positions were so well camouflaged that when the attack started on March 13, the French were taken completely by surprise," Vinh said. "It took only three days to overrun the outposts."
By April 25, the airstrips were completely isolated. The French aircraft could not land, and reinforcements and supplies were dropped by parachute.
"But the French planes could not fly low because of our anti-aircraft fire," which claimed 62 aircraft, Vinh said. "Dropping from high, a lot of the supplies ended up with our troops. We could enjoy chocolates and other sweets.
The final assault began the night of May 6. One ton of explosives killed an entire company of French soldiers. Russian multiple rocket launchers pounded the base. "The next morning, we heard a lot of French soldiers crying," Vinh said. "Finally, we saw some white flags around 3 p.m. At first, we thought it was a trick, and I told the soldiers to tell their colleagues to come out. When they did, we knew it was over."
The chairman of the local Dien Bien Phu veterans association, 68-year-old Luong Dinh Chinh, spent 36 days with other Viet Minh soldiers trying to capture from the French a heavily defended hill known as A1. "I have a very deep feeling about the anniversary as I miss my friends who fought and were sacrificed here," he said. Chinh, who still carries a piece of shrapnel lodged between his eyes. said: "It was very joyful that day when I saw the French with a white flag."
Excerpts sourced from (of all places):
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/asiapcf/9905/07/vietnam/
Arrogance and ignorance.... 2 traits that'll get you killed every time.
"I'm not going to make fun of their troops. They serve their country as faithfully
as they can. I reserve my scorn for France's political leadership."
Yes. And maybe some of their military leaders.
Anyone doubting the individuals in the French military needs to read "The Guns of August".
Good soldiers, poorly-equiped and poorly-led too much of the time.
Who knows, maybe the French will deliver some payback to the Hezbollah lunatics. The French lost soldiers to the bombs of those thugs too.
"Brit chucked"
Good catch. I obviously missed it. Now, did I leave out a "l" that would make "chuckled"? Or did I leave out "up-", which would make "up-chucked"?
My intent was "chuckled", but either action on the part of Brit would have been appropriate. Thanks for the fun. Have a good day.
"Where's the blue hats?"
Whorehouse in Beruit opened early.
Which begs the more serious (series) question about nature vs nurture. Despite my flip comment I can't really say I believe in a gene that promotes a better tendancy toward self-preservation. I think nurture played a greater role when it comes to France. Others might disagreee and put more weight on genetics but they are too busy searching for the "gay" gene just now.
we all came from a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine
It looks like their flags got washed with some red and greeen items.
There have been way too many studies showing the similarities between twins raised in totally different situations to lead me to believe in the nature side rather than the nurture side.
There have been numerous studies showing identical twins who were seperated and raised in different environments (posh suburb vs gritty inner-city). In nearly every single case, the twins turned out to exhibit the same behaviors.
The opposite studies have also been done where children from different parents have been adopted into the same home and raised the same way - yet they end up like night and day.
People are uncomfortable with this, because they think it means that we are all doomed by our genetic make-up and have no choice how we will end up. It's a rational fear - and of course anyone can change themselves and their behavior.
But - if we have no problem with genes determining our height, or eye color, our hair color and our looks - it's not much of a stretch to believe that those same genes determine our personality.
Most old sayings have a kernel of truth to them: "Blood will tell" is one of them.
But deciding what is part of "personality" is the trick here. That's not so easy as physical traits. We were discussing having the gumption to fight wars. I don't think you'll find a twin study to support genetics for that one...unless of course someone has finally found Patton's twin.
What an F'ing photo op.
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