Statistics on Dien Bien Phu’s population vary depending on definitions – figures are generally from 70,000 to 125,000. The majority of the population Thai ethnic groups form the largest segment. Ethnic Kinh makes up around a third of the population, with the others: Hmong, Si La, or others. These ethnic groups, together with soldiers of Viet Minh (League of Vietnam) had made one of biggest military victories in the world – the historical Dien Bien Phu battle.
The Dien Bien Phu Battle is the biggest battle in the First Indochina War place in Basin Muong Thanh, Dien Bien, Lai Chau province (now in the city of Dien Bien Phu, Dien Bien province) between Army People Vietnam and the French Union forces. This is the greatest military victory in the resistance war against the French 1945 – 1954 of Vietnam. By this decisive victory, the Vietnam Army forces by General Vo Nguyen Giap have forced the French commander at Dien Bien Phu surrendered in 7th, May 1954, after over two months of scapegoat.
On an international scale, this game has a great significance: the first time an army of Asian colonies defeat militarily an army of a European power. Seen as an unexpected catastrophe for the French and also a blow to the Western world, the brave of Vietnamese soldiers has defeated the will to maintain the colony of French Indochina and force it to peace talks and pull out of Indochina.
60 years from these days, nowadays, Dien Bien Phu becomes a famous destination to both domestic and foreign tourists. Veterans who had fight in Dien Bien Phu have the desire to come back the old battlefield, while Youngers want to visit once to understand about the fierce of the Indochina war. Many historical works are built to remember all those memories: Dien Bien Museum, Muong Thanh Bridge, Hill No. 1, and Hill Him Lam, Martyrs graveyard of Dien Bien, Victory Statue of Dien Bien Phu, and Office of General Giap…
Hill No. 1 is a sobering view of what happened. It is easy to conjure up loads of images and feelings while walking around this historic site. The most powerful are of the Vietnamese army getting themselves and their equipment to Dien Bien Phu in the first place. Massive feats of engineering and logistics carried out by night and under constant attack.
Dien Bien also has many places for tourists when traveling in here: Muong Thanh market, Muong Phang forest…