(VOVworld)- The Vietnamese people had gone through many difficulties, hardships and sacrifices and gained numerous glorious victories before winning the great victory in 1975. The “Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu victory in the air” in 1972 completely defeated the US aggressors forcing them to return to the negotiating table and sign the Paris Agreement on January 27, 1973. In October 1972, Vietnam and the US agreed to end the war and restore peace in Vietnam. However, the US broke the agreement and sent B52 bombers to blitz Hanoi and Hai Phong. The then US President Richard Nickson, attempted to use the bombing raids to take northern Vietnam back to the stone age and force it to accept its imposing conditions. However, the raids failed after 81 planes were shot down including 34 B52s and 5 F11 with many US pilots killed or taken prisoner.

With the people’s strength combined with the air force, Vietnam defeated the US bombing campaign. After 12 days and nights, the soldiers and citizens in Hanoi and Hai Phong witnessed a glorious Dien Bien Phu type air victory defeating the US aggressors in Vietnam’s skies. Director of the Party History Institute Doctor Nguyen Manh Ha says: “The victory at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 defeated the French colonialists forcing them to negotiate with Vietnam at the subsequent Geneva Conference and sign the Geneva agreement in July 1954. Vietnam’s victory after 12 days and nights in late 1972 had the same significance, it was like Dien Bien Phu but in the air. These two events are similar due to their significance, so we called the air offensive the Dien Bien Phu victory in the air. This reflected the Vietnamese people’s staunch spirit and strong will to fight against the enemy including the US warplanes”.

The Dien Bien Phu victory in the air marked a milestone in the Vietnamese people’s struggle against the US aggressors. It demonstrated the talented leadership of the Party, the Central Military Committee and the Ministry of Defense.