Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A decisive battle and military engagement: "Dien Bien Phu" refers specifically to the historic 1954 battle where Vietnamese forces besieged and captured a fortified French military base after 56 days, marking a pivotal end to French colonial involvement in Indochina.
   • A location: It also denotes the valley and town in northwestern Vietnam where this battle occurred.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was a turning point in the First Indochina War.
  • Many historians study the strategies used at Dien Bien Phu.

Advanced Usage

• "a Dien Bien Phu": used metaphorically to describe a decisive, catastrophic defeat or a last stand.
  • The failed campaign became the company's Dien Bien Phu.

Variants and Related Words

• Dien Bien Phu Campaign: The military operation encompassing the battle.
• Battle of Dien Bien Phu: The full, formal name for the historical event.

Synonyms

• Decisive battle: A crucial encounter that determines an outcome.
• Siege: A military operation where forces surround a place to compel surrender.

Related Phrases

• Fall of Dien Bien Phu: The event of the French garrison's surrender.
• Siege of Dien Bien Phu: Describes the prolonged military blockade.

Noun

1. the French military base fell after a siege by Vietnam troops that lasted 56 days; ended the involvement of France in Indochina in 1954