The guns fell silent last week across the Red River Delta and Central Viet Nam.
In defeat, some of the French commanders politely declined to receive visitors. "The colonel does not wish to be rude," said one bearded adjutant, "but he feels pain this morning for himself and for France. He would rather be alone." In victory, the Communists pressed sharp attacks against 50 French and Vietnamese outposts right up to the final truce deadline. In the campaign's last 24 hours they killed 21, wounded 64. Behind their lines, the Communists were already seizing...
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