(2 of 4)
The Last Stand. At 1000, the Communists won two more outposts in Eliane. At 1200, they went for the last three French positions on the east bank of the Nam Youm River. By 1600, the Reds were storming the French center. De Castries radioed GHQ: "The violent barrage from mortars and artillery continues. The Viets are infiltrating massively through the strongpoints on the west." De Castries also spoke briefly to his wife, Jacqueline, who waited with the generals for the outcome. "Have faith for our wounded," he asked her. Then, "Au revoir."
At 1645, De Castries was on the air again: "The central redoubt is about to be fully overrun. Further resistance is becoming hopeless." At 1700, De Castries made another call to his commander, General René Cogny, in Hanoi:
De Castries: "The Viets are everywhere. The situation is very grave. The combat is confused and goes on all about. I feel the end is approaching, but we will fight to the finish."
Cogny: "Well understood. You will fight to the end. It is out of the question to run up the white flag after your heroic resistance."
De Castries: "Well understood. We will destroy the guns and radio equipment. The radiotelephone link will be destroyed at 1730 hours. We will fight to the end.
Au revoir, mon général. Au revoir, mes camarades. Vive la France!" Then De Castries ordered artillery fire from Isabelle against his own command post.
The Communists swarmed on toward Junon, flushed with imminent victory. There was one last cutting and clubbing, and the helpless French pilots saw it: bayonet, knife and grenade in one ghastly arena less than 1,000 feet wide. Bearded French veterans, coal-black Senegalese and tough little Vietnamese even slugged at the Reds with chunks of wood and iron from their broken strong points. "It was like a spectacle of wild beasts in a Roman amphitheater," said one pilot afterward.
It could not go on. At 1730, De Castries called GHQ for the last time: "After 20 hours of ceaseless combat, just now man-to-man, the enemy has infiltrated right through our central bastion. Munitions are short. Our resistance is about to be submerged. The Vietminh are only a few yards from the radio where I speak. I have given orders for maximum demolitions. The ammo depots are going up already. Au revoir."
The Dienbienphu radio operator added his piece with no show of emotion: "There is fighting around the door. The general has ordered me to destroy this equipment. Say hello to Paris for me. Au revoir." Then silence. At GHQ, staff officers, generals, signalmen and clerks were leaden with a dread despair. "It was like hearing the tap on the hull of a submarine that lies helpless at the bottom of the sea," said one who listened.
The Last Charge. The battle neared its end. The Communists regrouped and turned southward against Isabelle. Isabelle was ready. Its 13th Demi-Brigade,