Quote Originally Posted by Brenus
“Dien Bien Phu began as both parties in the conflict”: even worst, Dien Bien Phu as engaged against strict Governmental instructions NOT to engage the Vietminh.
Do you have any sources on this? Just read a book about the Dien Bien Phu campaign and I can't remember reading anything about clear governmental instructions not to engage the Vietminh. The only thing that even remotely comes to mind is the question of whether Laos should be defended or not, and even then I can't remember that there were ever any clear instructions on the matter.

Also Colonel de Castries had very little to say in the original decision of building a French air-landbase at Dien Bien Phu. He was only the appointed garrison commander and thus in charge of conducting its defence. It was General Henri Navarre, the C-in-C of CEFEO, who was ultimately in charge of the decision of creating a French base at Dien Bien Phu.