In winter 1953-54 the French army in Vietnam challenged its elusive enemy, General Giap's Viet Minh, to pitched battle. Ten thousand French paras and legionnaires, with artillery and tanks, were flown to the remote valley of Dien Bien Phu to build a fortress upon which Giap could smash his inexperienced regiments. The siege which followed became a Stalingrad in the jungle, and its outcome shocked the world. 'Enthralling...Windrow gives a clear and cogent analysis of the general politico-military position...Anyone who found Stalingrad absorbing will find this book equally so. Like Beevor, Windrow gives one the very essence of battle... His character sketches of individuals, from commanding officers down, are deft and acute...This book is a wonderful account of a terrible battle' Allan Massie, Literary Review

In winter 1953-54 the French army in Vietnam challenged its elusive enemy, General Giap's Viet Minh, to pitched battle. Ten thousand French paras and legionnaires, with artillery and tanks, were flown to the remote valley of Dien Bien Phu to build a fortress upon which Giap could smash his inexperienced regiments. The siege which followed became a Stalingrad in the jungle, and its outcome shocked the world. 'Enthralling...Windrow gives a clear and cogent analysis of the general politico-military position...Anyone who found Stalingrad absorbing will find this book equally so. Like Beevor, Windrow gives one the very essence of battle...His character sketches of individuals, from commanding officers down, are deft and acute...This book is a wonderful account of a terrible battle' Allan Massie, Literary Review

Born in 1944 and educated at Wellington College, Martin Windrow is an Associate of the Royal Historical Society and a member of the Foreign Legion Association of Great Britain. He has worked in publishing since the mid-1960s as a commissioning editor and author.

2008-08-19 An amazing book

This book is truly amazing. As someone who is very interested in history, but not very knowledgeable about French Indo-China I can heartily recommend this book.

The book started slowly, I found, and was very descriptive of the political situation before and after WW2. My advice is - stick with it. The knowledge Martin Windrow imparts in the first part of the book is invaluable for understanding attitudes later on. As the fortifications and then the battle commence in the book you find yourself swept away with the passion the author obviously has for the subject. The book is well written, well informed and immensely readable.

Before I read this book I had little knowledge of the French involvement and no overriding desire to find out, but this book changed everything for me. It is a rare book indeed that can make you catch breath with the almost palatable fear and tension that the soldiers must have been feeling. I have now read more widely on the subject and have started including the Vietnam War, but this book still remains my favourite on the subject of Dien Bien Phu - the Stalingrad of the jungle.