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Epic Dien Bien Phu in the Air on display to mark 45th year of victory

Over 300 documents, photos and artifacts relating to the victory of the Dien Bien Phu in the Air Battle are on display at an exhibition in downtown Hanoi to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the victory (December 18, 1972).

The exhibition, namely “Ban hung ca Dien Bien Phu tren khong” (Epic Dien Bien Phu in the Air), was opened at the Vietnam Military History Museum on December 18 in an effort to educate military officers and people on the country’s revolution and inspire the love for the country and national pride among them.

It includes four sections. The opening section and the section No.1, entitled “The historical confrontation”, showcase a number of photos and objects reflecting strategies and operation plans of the Party and Vietnamese military high command and air forces to defeat the US’s strategic bombing campaign by B-52 aircraft in Hanoi, Hai Phong and other northern provinces.

"The epic Dien Bien Phu in the Air" is the theme of the section No.2, demonstrating resilience, ingenuity and braveness of the people and air forces the defend the US bombing, prompting the US to the negotiating table in Paris and finally sign the peace accords to restore peace in Vietnam.

The section No.3, namely “The resounding victory song”, showcases the widespread influence of the victory that led to the liberation of the entire southern Vietnam and on the national building.

Hanoi, Hai Phong and their vicinities were heavily bombarded in an aerial raids in December 1972, known in Vietnam as "Dien Bien Phu in the Air” and in the West as the 1972 Christmas bombing.

It was the last US military campaign during the war and lasted for 12 days from December 18 to 29.

Over 12 days and nights, the Hanoi air defence grids and all across the north of Vietnam shot down 4,181 airplanes, including 34 expensive B52s.-VNA/VNP


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