On March 1954, the Viet Minh launched an artillery barrage upon the French garrison. In the evening Viet Minh infantry attacked the Beatrice defensive position, capturing it an destroying a Foreign Legion battalion. On March 14th the Viet Minh attack and latter captured the Gabrielle position, destroying an Algerian battalion. A biography of Colonel Le Tan, the commander of the Viet minh 312th Division.