From Dien Bien Phu to the Geneva Accords: A View from an International Perspective

The workshop was attended by Mr. Jean Noel Poirier, Ambassador of the Republic of France to Vietnam. Among the foreign scientists participating in the workshop were many prominent figures such as: Mr. Oliver Tesier, Director of the French Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Hanoi; Professor Marc J. Gilbert, President of the World Historical Society; Professor Carlyle Thayer, Australian Defence Academy; and Dr. Pierre Journoud, French Institute of Military History…

On the Vietnamese side, guests included Dr. Trinh Ngoc Thach - Vice Chairman of the Committee on Culture, Education, Youth, and Children of the National Assembly. Vietnamese scientists from major universities and research institutes such as the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Public Administration, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, and the Institute of Military History Research (Ministry of National Defense)...

At the opening session, Professor Nguyen Van Khanh (Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities) delivered a speech affirming the immense significance of the Dien Bien Phu victory as a glorious milestone in the history of Vietnam's resistance against foreign invaders. Dien Bien Phu also entered world history as a great historical event, serving as a precursor to the disintegration of old-style colonialism worldwide. Dien Bien Phu is a symbol of the victory of the peaceful strength, science, and military art of Vietnam, closely associated with the names of President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap.

The victory at Dien Bien Phu led to the signing of the Geneva Accords, ending the war and restoring peace in Indochina. During the Dien Bien Phu campaign and the Geneva Accords negotiations, Vietnamese diplomacy, for the first time, stepped onto the international stage, participating in a multilateral international conference with the participation of major powers.

With that in mind, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory and the signing of the Geneva Accords, this international conference addresses the factors that contributed to Vietnam's victory in the Dien Bien Phu campaign, the various aspects related to the resistance war, and explores the influence and impact of the Dien Bien Phu victory on the decolonization process and the development of the national liberation movement worldwide…

The speech also affirmed that, from an international perspective, from Dien Bien Phu to the Geneva Conference, there are many issues that need to be discussed based on new sources and approaches: Was Geneva a manifestation of the trend of détente and East-West dialogue among the great powers? Did the parties attending the Geneva Conference have the same objectives? How did the national interests and strategies of the great powers influence the Geneva situation? Did Vietnam play a proactive role in the Geneva negotiations? Were the agreements the result of arrangements by the great powers?...

Elucidating the different facets of Dien Bien Phu and Geneva will provide valuable historical lessons for the goal of peace and prosperity today, especially in the era of knowledge, integration, and globalization.

Following this, Mr. Jean Noel Poirier, Ambassador of the Republic of France to Vietnam, also delivered a short speech, affirming that Dien Bien Phu was an event of great political and historical significance and will always be remembered in the history of mankind. Dien Bien Phu is an important milestone for both Vietnam and France. Therefore, viewing and analyzing this event from various perspectives is necessary so that in the future, Vietnam and France will always remain connected and strive to overcome the pain of the past, and cooperate together for the goal of prosperity and development.

Following the opening session was a roundtable dialogue between the guests: Colonel Doan Su - interpreter for the military advisory delegation during the Dien Bien Phu campaign; Mr. Nguyen Khac Huynh - former Vietnamese Ambassador, member of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam delegation at the Geneva Conference; Professor Dr. Marc J. Gilbert - President of the World Historical Society; Dr. Pierre Journoud - French Military History Institute; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Over two days, the workshop consisted of five sessions discussing the following main issues: “The domestic and international context of the Dien Bien Phu victory”, “The road to Geneva”, “The international aspect of Dien Bien Phu and the Geneva Accords”, “International support for Vietnam during and after Dien Bien Phu”, and “The impact and significance of Dien Bien Phu”.