Dien Bien Phu 1954 battle changed Vietnam's history It is seen by many military scholars as one of the great battles of the 20th century -- and a defining moment in the history of Southeast Asia. And yet the Battle of Dien Bien Phu receives rarely more than a passing mention in most history texts. After World War II, France was able to reinstall its colonial government in what was then known as Indochina. By 1946 a …showed first 75 words of 881 total…

…showed last 75 words of 881 total…involvement. In 1963, as Washington was deepening its commitment in Vietnam, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev made a telling remark to a U.S. official. "If you want to, go ahead and fight in the jungles of Vietnam," Khrushchev said. "The French fought there for seven years and still had to quit in the end. Perhaps the Americans will be able to stick it out for a little longer, but eventually they will have to quit, too."