Author Ivan Cadeau (R) at the launch event (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)

The book, titled “Dien Bien Phu March 13 - May 7, 1954”, comprises of seven chapters. Various documents of French people and memoirs of witnesses on the historical victory were publicised for the first time.

It is viewed as a valuable document which provides more information on the Dien Bien Phu Campaign and the first Indochina War from the point of view of a French officer and historian, said the State Records Management and Archives Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Home Affairs.

At the event, author Ivan Cadeau said he has taken interest in the first Indochina War for more than seven years and did a PhD thesis on the topic.

The event, held by the department, was part of the activities to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the victory (May 7, 1954 – 2019).

The campaign lasted for 56 days in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien, under the command of General Vo Nguyen Giap. It saw Vietnam defeat the French colonialists to put an end to their rule in Indochina the same year.-VNA