INDO-CHINA: He Who Holds Out

INDOCHINA

The official French spokesman arrived at the press camp in Hanoi one night this week with stirring news "We may now consider," he said, "that the second phase of the battle for Dienbienphu is ended." This meant that 15,000 surrounded, bonetired French Union troops had again thrown back 40,000 Communists assaulting the rubble-dust fortress of Dienbienphu. The army of Red General Giap, torn by frightful casualties, was still coming in from the jungle and the hills, and a third great assault was abuilding. But so far, Dienbienphu had gallantly defended the hopes of the free world, and the tricolor still rippled free in the gunsmoke. The battle last week:

DDay: Overcast and grey. At 1600, Giap orders gunfire against the five remaining French strongpoints in the 12-by-4-mile valley. At 1630, black-garbed Communist infantry come at a run for the southern strongpoint. It is only a feint. Half an hour later 105-mm. fire hits the northeast and southeast strongpoints, and Communist infantry moves into trenches near the French barbed wire.

At 1830, bugles sound, and suicide squads blast through the wire. Two Communist divisions, some 10,000 strong, launch a "human sea" attack against both strongpoints. It is the first big attack since bloody "Phase One" of 17 days before. Objective: Bald Head Hill, 200 ft. high in the southeast strongpoint, commanding all other French positions.

At 2000, the two Red divisions crack the northeast strongpoint, overrun three of its five or six outposts. Then the Communists take Bald Head. At 2200, French Commanding Colonel Christian de Castries calls for air support. Privateers, B-26s, Bearcats, even DC-3 transports sprinkle high explosive and napalm into Red infantry support zones, but the enemy holds its gains. French HQ later admits: "The first news was bad."

D-Plus-One: An elite Moroccan battalion counterattacks on Bald Head. It is close-quarter battle with light machine guns, rifles, knives, grenades and crude bamboo spears. Six times the hill changes hands. At 0700, French 19-ton tanks and flamethrower squads sear the Communists out. The Moroccans count 300 Communist dead on just one segment of their broken wire. De Castries radios HQ: "I am still master of the situation."

But the Communists hold their gains in the northeast. All day, French and U.S. civilian pilots airdrop sorely needed supplies. Many supply loads drift into enemy lines. In the afternoon, French tactical air puts in two big strikes against the three fallen outposts in the northeast. At 1600, De Castries counterattacks the outposts, wins back two. But he cannot stay. French HQ claims the enemy lost 1,350 dead in the first 24 hours. French casualties are also high, and there is no evacuation for the wounded.