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The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam Paperback – December 27, 2005

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Martin Windrow (Author)
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4.7 out of 5 stars 79 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 752 pages
  • Publisher: Da Capo Press; Reprint edition (December 27, 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0306814439
  • ISBN-13: 978-0306814433
  • Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 1.7 x 8.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #322,714 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsThe Best Account of this Battle so Far
By Aussie Reader on July 14, 2004
Format: Hardcover
"The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam" by Martin Windrow is destined to be the definite account of this tragic battle. I knew as soon as I saw this title in the bookshop that I had to have it and it was one of the best purchases I have made so far this year!
This is an excellent and detailed account of the fighting in the Valley of Dien Bien Phu between the professional French forces, including Legionnaire and elite Parachute Units, and the Vietnamese Bo Doi (Viet Minh) led by General Giap.
The author takes the time to explain the military and political settings of the war in Indo China, offers detailed accounts of the opposing forces and commanders and provides a well researched narrative of the events leading up to this battle. The story of the battle itself for Dien Bien Phu is a classic military narrative that really pulls the reader into the story and gives us a rare insight into the hardships of the French soldier and his enemy.
One quote in the book that was used for a chapter heading by Colonel de Castries says a lot about this battle and the terrible fighting involved; "It's a bit like Verdun, but Verdun without the depth of defence, and, above all, without the Sacred Way". This is an excellent account of a shocking battle and I am sure that anyone who enjoys reading or studying military history will find this book an excellent addition to his or her library.
In over 657 pages of text, along with 22 maps of varying size and detail the author offers the reader a well researched and well presented account of this famous battle. At no time did I find the story boring or bogged down in detail. The narrative is fast paced, exciting and filled with human tragedy and numerous stories of soldier?Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsSoldiers' views of Dien Bien Phu
By Dr Neil MacNeill on July 22, 2004
Format: Hardcover
The Last Valley by Martin Windrow

What an excellent book! For readers interested in the precursor to our own involvement in Vietnam, Martin Windrow's book provides a great read in the tradition of Bernard Fall.

Writing history is not easy and the author has managed to flesh the events and characters in a way that engages the readers. I was impressed with Windrow?s description of the battles and the horrors that continue to haunt the survivors of such meat-grinding battles. Old-soldiers will relate to the smell of decaying flesh, the description of mangled bodies- the smell of death, which arose from the carefully crafted text. Moreover, they will relate to incredible tiredness of troops who stay in battle for extended periods.

I served in SVN in 1967-1968, and my early reading had me believing that Dien Bien Phu was a French military disaster. In a strategic sense, it was, but it was close run. Australian troops are often called diggers but the Vietminh sappers would certainly challenge us for that title. I could not put down the book without mentally honouring the brave soldiers (on both sides) who fought without respite in trench warfare reminiscent of WWI.

For those who are interested in the development of tactics used in the Vietnam War (1963-1975) it was interesting to note the rudimentary use of helicopters and close air support by the French, and the development of the bases aero-terrestre, (air-land bases) which later became the ubiquitous fire-support bases (FSB). It was also interesting to see that the American interests became more partisan after Korea and in the final days of Dien Bien Phu, more support was extended to the French, and then eventually led to our involvement. Hal Moore's book- We Were Soldiers Once ...Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsThe Last Valley
By Eye Book on October 22, 2004
Format: Hardcover
An excellent piece of research and writing. The noise, sights and smells of the battle jump from the pages. Beautifully paced, Windrow is fair and even-handed to all participants. He clearly states where there are conflicting accounts and carfully explains the sources and logic of his own views.

While the losses on the French side (of which many were non French legionnaires and locally recruited native troops) were appalling to the modern reader, the losses of Vietnamese troops were very much worse. Windrow makes clear that crude WW1 "human wave" tactics used by the Vietnamese units under General Giap almost won, or, at least, extended the battle for the French. Even with Chinese support, General Giap was expending soldiers, equipment and ammunition at a rate the Vietnamese recruitment, training and logistics could barely match. General Giap may have won the battle, but it was at a huge and painful cost to the fledgling Vietnamese army.

The implications of the book suggest that if France had planned for and managed better air supply, bombing and ground support operations from the start (possibly with better planned support from the USA), the outcome might have being different. Whether this would have made any difference to Vietnam in the long term is another debate. The Vietnamese were always prepared for a very long war, and by 1954 the French public were already sick of the military losses and the expense of fighting the war. The French Army were convinced that simple lack of political will lost them both the battle and the war. As later in Algeria, the cry went up: "We were betrayed".

Well worth buying.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent military history

This was as well researched and presented as any military history book I've read. As a retired Army officer I look for technical details in military history; weapons, tactics and... Read more

Published 1 month ago by Eugene
5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent book. Explains how we got mixed up in ...

Excellent book .Explains how we got mixed up in this tragic was.

Published 1 month ago by richard m sorensen
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Such a sad event.

Published 2 months ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

everything fine

Published 3 months ago by david potter
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Outstanding account

Published 5 months ago by James Jennings
5.0 out of 5 starsA must read for the Cold War warriors and anti-communist Crusaders.

It is a must for all American politicians, diplomats, generals, soldiers, and the American Public who subscribed to the domino theory and who were embarking on an anti-communist... Read more

Published 7 months ago by My Nguyen
5.0 out of 5 starsAn incredible true tale that I highly recommend.

Fascinating account of the final days of French colonial power, directly leading to American involvement in this crisis. Read more

Published 11 months ago by Scrommis-r
3.0 out of 5 starsGreat story - we should have learned from it before ...

Great story - we should have learned from it before we got sucked in to Vietnam - too many details though

Published 12 months ago by Tom S
5.0 out of 5 starsin fact he was no better than the WW1 generals who threw their troops...

A very detailed and disturbing story of this epic and almost forgotten battle. It puts General Giaps so-called military genius in a new light, in fact he was no better than the WW1... Read more

Published 12 months ago by Les Pitt
5.0 out of 5 starsThis is an excellent book about the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu

This is an excellent book about the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu. The author gives an excellent preview of events throughout south east Asia prior to the battle. Read more

Published 13 months ago by M Mahoney

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