Christian de la Croix de Castries (August 11, 1902 - July 29, 1991) was the French commander at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954. He came from a distinguished family in France, long associated with the military. August 11 is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants France Vietnam Commanders Christian de Castries Vo Nguyen Giap Strength As of March 13: 10,800 (Davidson, 224) As of March 13: 49,000 combat personel, 15,000 logistical support personel (Davidson, 223) Casualties 2,293 dead 5,193 wounded 11,800 captured 7,900 dead 15,000 wounded... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Nong, who eventually rose to the rank of colonel, took part in the attack on the final French stronghold of Hill A1 christened Elaine by the French field commander, Brigadier-General ChristiandeCastries, who is claimed to have named nine of the valley's strategic landmarks after various mistresses.
Late the next afternoon, a five-man team captured de Castries's command bunker, took the general prisoner and raised the red flag with the yellow star that soon became the standard of an independent Vietnam.
General de Castries's bunker, the national flag still fluttering over its rusting corrugated rooftop, is now a favourite tourist site.
Starting in December, the French, under the command of Colonel ChristiandeCastries, started transforming their anchoring point into a fortress by setting up various strongpoints, each one named after a former deCastries mistress.
The choice of Castries as the on-scene commander at Dien Bien Phu was, in retrospect, a bad one.
Navarre had picked Castries, a cavalryman in the 18th century tradition, because Navarre envisioned Dien Bein Phu as a mobile battle.
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