The Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command Headquarters was located in Muong Phang commune, about 15-20 km east of the Dien Bien Phu stronghold complex center, located in the forest at the foot of Pu Don mountain.
Here, there is only the green of the mountains and forests, small roads and silence covering the place that was once the "brain" of a campaign that shook history.
Going deeper into the relic site, the traces of the Command Headquarters appear in the middle of the forest.
The working basement of General Vo Nguyen Giap, the basement of the staff agency, the trench communication system, the working place of command officers, the information department... All are not large, even simple to the point of making it difficult to imagine that this place once held discussions and decisions that were meaningful to the fate of a whole campaign.
Muong Phang forest is peaceful today. Trees stand silently, casting shadows on the paths. In that peace, people can easily feel the weight of history.
Standing in the bunker that used to be where General Vo Nguyen Giap worked.
Muong Phang Command Headquarters was associated with a pivotal decision of the campaign.
Initially, the combat plan was "fight quickly, resolve quickly". However, after many days of considering the balance of forces and the actual situation, General Vo Nguyen Giap decided to switch to the motto: "Fight firmly, advance firmly.
This decision completely changed the way the campaign was conducted, with the removal of artillery, re-preparation of battlefields, building a system of trenches and gradually destroying French strongholds.
From here, each order was transmitted, each combat plan was calculated, and every step of the troops was monitored.
And from here, a victory was contributed to.
Perhaps history is sometimes not present with things that are too great. It is located in a small cellar, a traffic trench, an old desk; in stories told through generations.
Only when standing directly in that place can people clearly feel the distance between the words in the book and an event that once existed with blood, sweat and human will.
Today, National Day September 2nd, the trip to Muong Phang therefore brings a very different feeling.
For Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung (Muong Thanh ward), on National Day September 2, he chose the Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command in Muong Phang as a destination for his two children.
On the way, he showed his children each camp, command bunker, and told them about those who lived, fought and sacrificed here. He wanted his children to understand that today's peace is exchanged for the blood and bones of generations of predecessors.
