Windrow - The last valley : Dien Bien Phu and the French defeat in Vietnam

[A] meticulous and masterly narrative... The Last Valley succeeds marvelously in recreating the heat of battle. Wall Street Journal

Powerful and sharply detailed... The Last Valley stands on its own as a brilliant piece of military history. Boston Globe

By far the best account ever produced in English of the 1954 French disaster in Indochina. New York Sun

[Windrows] vivid descriptions... keep the reader at the heart of the action. Military History

This extraordinary story of heroism, passion, and tragedy should long stand as the definitive study of Dien Bien Phu. Library Journal

[A] masterful account of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu... [it] will be difficult to surpass. Booklist

Certain folks in certain government offices would do well to read TheLast Valley. San Diego Union-Tribune

Windrows vivid and well-written account... is a tribute to his abilities both as historian and as a writer... The reader can almost hear the parachute canopies open. The Economist

This book is a wonderful account of a terrible battle, but it is more than that. It raises questions about the relationship between politicians and armed forces, questions which are still alive now. Literary Review

I know I am never going to read a better book this year than The LastValley. James Delingpole, The Times [London]

The Indochinese peninsula, c. 1953

Defence of Na San perimeter, 23 November2 December 1952

Defence of PA8 at Na San, 23/24 November 1952

The Chinese frontier region of Tonkin, and the Viet Bac

The Red River delta

Viet Minh operations in the High Region, winter 1952 and spring 1953

Main Viet Minh supply routes, winter 1953 and spring 1954

Northern Laos, 19534

Valley of Dien Bien Phu, and Operation Castor, 20 November 1953

Approximate deployment of Viet Minh siege army at Dien Bien Phu

Dien Bien Phu central camp, and deployment of artillery and heavy mortar units

The northern defended locations Anne-Marie, Gabrielle and Batrice

The airfield and the northern Huguettes and Dominiques

The east bank and the Five Hills of Dominique and Eliane

Defence of Batrice, 13/14 March 1954

Defence of Gabrielle, 14/15 March 1954

Battle of the Five Hills, 30/31 March 1954

West bank defences southern Huguettes and Lilianes, mid April 1954

Defences of Isabelle

The fall of Dien Bien Phu, 27 May 1954

The Indochinese peninsula, c. 1953.

Defence of Na San perimeter, 23 November 2 December 1952.

Defence of PA8 at Na San, night 23/24 November 1952.

The Chinese frontier region of Tonkin. The area of the Viet Bac was approximately that enclosed by the place names in bold type: clockwise from top left, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, and Tuyen Quang.

The Red River delta.

Viet Minh operations in the High Region, winter 1952 and spring 1953.

Main Viet Minh supply routes, winter 1953 and spring 1954.

Northern Laos, 19534.

Valley of Dien Bien Phu, with approximate location of some surrounding hills. (Spot heights are in metres above sea level.) (Inset) Sketch map of Operation Castor, 20 November 1953.

Approximate deployment of Viet Minh siege army at Dien Bien Phu.

Dien Bien Phu central camp. (Inset) Artillery battery and mortar company deployments.

The northern defended locations Anne-Marie, Gabrielle and Batrice, as in mid March 1954.

The airfield and the northern Huguettes and Dominiques as in late March, with additional positions mid to late April.

The east bank and the Five Hills of Dominique and Eliane.