First Indochina War: Dien Bien Phu

<p>The siege of Dien Bien Phu took place in 1954 and was a definitive victory for Vietnam. Although the battle brought an end to French colonial rule, the separation of the country’s north and south created a volatile political environment between capitalism and communism, eventually leading to American involvement.</p><br><p>But how did the long time leader of Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh, take his guerilla army and turn it into a modern fighting force that was capable of overthrowing an empire?</p><br><p>In this episode, James is joined by author and Professor Christopher Goscha from the University of Quebec to help us understand just how the French lost their way in Vietnam.</p><br><p>For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.historyhit.com/sign-up-to-history-hit/?utm_source=timelinenewsletter&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Timeline+Podcast+Campaign" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at&nbsp;<a href="https://access.historyhit.com/?utm_source=audio&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Podcast+Campaign&utm_id=Podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">History Hit</a>&nbsp;- enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.historyhit&hl=en_GB&gl=US" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Android</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/history-hit/id1303668247" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple</a>&nbsp;store.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>