MILITARY SITUATION AT DIEN BIEN PHU

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01443R000200200003-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 3, 2003
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 25, 1954
• Content Type: BRIEF

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Approved Fq'
X4000200200003-6
MILITARY SITUATION AT DIEN BIEN PHU
I. Viet Minh preparing assault.
A. Moving trenches closer.
B. Some within 300 meters.
II. French making air, some ground
attacks.
A. 1,000 pound bombs on trenches.
B. But enemy repairs, digs new ones.
C. French patrolling between
strongpoints.
V M
1. Destroyed oneAcompany on
22nd north of Isabelle.
III. Defenses tightened in center.
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NSA review completed
A. Consolidation "Anne Marie':' with
"Huguette".
B. upset detailed enemy
planning.
Approved Forl
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 Approved R
C. About 7,000 miles barbed wire
4r .IE/I 9/es' f a/fu/
strungA-- distance from Saigon
to Paris.
IV. French think enemy may hit "Isabelle"
first, then center.
A. Division 316, with element 304,
to hit south, f90 eme11 71111VK
B. Division 308 expectedAattack
center.
V. Navarre more optimistic.
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VI. On other hand, heavy Chinese shipments
Approved
"PE4ED /a 71k44
A. New route from Ban Leng4takes
strain off supply lines from east.
B. French say have killed 1,200 on
road last week.
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443R00020020000J-6
C. Press reports of starving enemy
conflict with estimated 60 days
supplies, which we believe more
likely.
VII. Evacuation of French wounded hampered.
A. About 200 flown out; probably
equal number remains. About
ro reL 1
1400nlosses.
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On 23 March Lt. Gambiez was killed
when helicopter evacuating him was hit and
crashed. He had been slightly wounded in the
knee the day before. He was only son of Gen.
Appr-o vest For Release 2003/07/31 : CIA-RDP
"4m iez, Navarre's Chief of Staff
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Approved For Release 2003/07/31 : CIA-RDP80RO1443R000200200003-6