The French newspaper Libération described Dien Bien Phu as the historic victory of Vietnam over the French army, while Le Monde quoted historian Jean-Pierre Rioux as saying that the battle marked the beginning of the collapse of French colonialism.
Meanwhile, an article in Germany’s Junge Welt (Young World) newspaper stated that the fall of Dien Bien Phu fort signalled France’s defeat in its colonial war waged from 1946, which aimed to re-establish French colonial rule in Vietnam.
Deutsche Welle (German Wave) wrote that the Dien Bien Phu victory put an end to European colonialism and sparked a global liberation movement.
Similarly, Granma, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Cuba, described the victory as the end of French colonial rule in Vietnam and a catalyst for liberation movements around the world.
It added that the solidarity of the Vietnamese people played a key role in achieving the triumph by defeating an enemy with greater military strength.
In an earlier issue, Granma dedicated an entire page to an overview of the Dien Bien Phu campaign, stressing that the triumph concluded Vietnam’s century-long struggle against European colonialism.
It also highlighted the key role of late General Vo Nguyen Giap, the commander of the campaign.
