Contested Territory: Dien Bien Phu and the Making of Northwest Vietnam by Christian C. Lentz (review)

With Contested Territory, Christian Lentz has provided a thorough examination of Dien Bien Phu that extends far beyond the famous siege of 1954. Dien Bien Phu is remembered primarily as a historic battle between France and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV). Lentz reveals, however, that Dien Bien Phu was "contested territory" in another sense. From 1945 until 1960, the DRV attempted to consolidate control over the northwestern territory and the ethnic groups that resided there. Lentz documents the complex negotiations, compromises, and disputes between the DRV and the local population. This process eventually resulted in the consolidation of DRV rule and thus literally shaped the modern-day nation of Vietnam.

Dien Bien Phu is situated in the Black River region, an area of present-day Vietnam near the borders with Laos and China. In the period leading up to the conflict against the French, the Black River region was home to numerous ethnic groups. The Tai constituted a majority in the sparsely-populated area, with the Viet or Kinh people accounting for only about one percent of the population. These conditions meant that this area was not inevitably destined to become part of the emerging "geobody" of Vietnam after French colonialism.

One of the strengths of Contested Territory is that it "recenters" Dien Bien Phu. As Lentz explains, the Vietnamese name "Dien Bien Phu," which can be translated as "border post prefecture," emphasizes its isolation or peripheral nature. For the ethnic minorities living in the area, however, it was known by the Tai name of "Muong Thanh," which signified "the place's centrality, not isolation" (p. 2). Under French rule, Tai elites in the Black River region cooperated with French authorities and wielded some political power. While the French tried to drive a wedge between the Tai and the Viet, the goal of DRV leadership was to construct a relationship that would facilitate the creation of an independent Vietnam that included the Black River region. In trying to control the Black River region, the DRV often resorted to some of the same practices and policies as the French colonizers, such as enlisting labor and requisitioning food, especially rice. The key for the DRV, then, was to distinguish themselves from French colonizers by convincing the local population that their sacrifices would be borne equitably and would serve a larger patriotic purpose. Vietnamese officials also accommodated Tai elites, occasionally placing goals of socialist transformation below the larger objective of defeating France and establishing a unified nation. As Lentz puts it, "[a]t a regional crossroads in the Vietnamese revolution, securing territory and population trumped reforming class and status" (p. 105).

Contested Territory reminds readers at the outset that Dien Bien Phu is "a place, not just a battle" (p. 1). Indeed, while the famous battle played a role in the process of "Vietnamizing" the area, it was not the sole factor. Thus, the fighting at Dien Bien Phu—the actual combat that took place from late 1953 until May 1954—makes up a rather small part of Lentz's narrative. Readers looking for a detailed account of military tactics or the experiences of the combatants during the siege should look elsewhere. But Lentz does describe the enormous logistical undertaking that set the stage for the Vietnamese victory. And his analysis demonstrates that the importance of the battle was not just that it was a crucial military victory over French colonialism. It was also an important step in establishing DRV authority in the Black River region, or what could increasingly be understood as "Northwest Vietnam."

Lentz's analysis does not end with the DRV victory. He also traces developments in the northwest region after 1954. The victory over the French did not end conflict and contestation in the area around Dien Bien Phu. Rather, local residents experienced significant hardships, many of which were consequences of DRV efforts...