Keeping Isabelle Fed CBI (id:#57157)

Critical Hit (Dien Bien Phu ID: DBP8)   [next]   [previous]

Ban Kho Lai, French Indochina 1954-03-22 (0 others)

Overview:

Of all the strong-points the French set up at Dien Bien Phu, the position known as "Isabelle' was the most isolated. Six kilometers south of the nearest friendly strong-point, the French had to fight to keep the road open daily. One such day was the 22nd of March. The news up to that point for the French had been all bad. Strong-points Gabrielle and Beatrice had fallen and the garrison's artillery commander had committed suicide. On this day, the 1st BEP was sent south to open the road to Isabelle. The legionnaires advanced through the early morning mist that regularly obscured the valley, meeting no opposition along the way. When they reached Ban Kho Lai, things suddenly changed. The Viet Minh had dug approach trenches all through the valley including in the south, near Isabelle. The BEP was stopped cold. Tank support was called in to hot the main center of resistance. . . .This is a French-massed armour and infantry attack against a strong PAVN position. All ten Chaffees are featured.

Defender: PAVN (Elements of PAVN Regiment 57, 304th Division)  

Errata (source)