Dienbienphu

Cultural  

1. A place in Indochina, now Vietnam, where Vietnamese communists decisively defeated French forces in 1954. The defeat led to the French withdrawal from Indochina. (See Vietnam War.)

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Example Sentences

When its 6,200-man garrison came under siege and heavy artillery bombardment from the North Vietnamese in mid-January, some observers saw an ominous similarity to Dienbienphu.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Communists had not yet scored their stunning victory at Dienbienphu and their situation was "very grave," says Khrushchev.

From Time Magazine Archive

Hsieh commanded 150,000 troops in the Korean War, and later aided Ho Chi Minh's forces at Dienbienphu.

From Time Magazine Archive

Dulles first raised the possibility of U.S. military intervention soon after the siege of Dienbienphu began.

From Time Magazine Archive

After the French defeat at Dienbienphu in 1954, Thailand accepted 50,000 Vietnamese refugees.

From Time Magazine Archive