50th Anniversary of Dien Bien Phu: "The defeat led to the death of French colonialism in Indochina and provided a tremendous impetus to liberation movements the world over. It showed that a small Asian country could defeat a powerful European colonial power. Soon thereafter, the Algerian people rose in revolt against French colonial rule and freed themselves after a protracted struggle lasting six years. The French colonies in West Africa became independent by 1960. The wars in Vietnam and Algeria had exhausted the French state. It had spent over two billion francs and committed more than 450,000 troops in Indochina for no obvious gain."

50th Anniversary of Dien Bien Phu: "The defeat led to the death of French colonialism in Indochina and provided a tremendous impetus to liberation movements the world over. It showed that a small Asian country could defeat a powerful European colonial power. Soon thereafter, the Algerian people rose in revolt against French colonial rule and freed themselves after a protracted struggle lasting six years. The French colonies in West Africa became independent by 1960. The wars in Vietnam and Algeria had exhausted the French state. It had spent over two billion francs and committed more than 450,000 troops in Indochina for no obvious gain."