The De Lattre Line, named after General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, was a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles, and weapons installations constructed by the French around the Red River Delta in northern Vietnam.
The French established the fortification to guard the essential lines of communication between the cities of Hanoi and Haiphong and to provide security for the densely populated and economically important Delta area against attacks by both the Việt Minh and any potential invasion from Communist China.
The Line was to comprise 1200 separate concrete blockhouses able to withstand 155mm artillery grouped in 250 clusters of 3-6 blockhouses for mutual fire support over a span of 235 miles (378 km). Each blockhouse was to hold a minimum of 10 men. In addition a defensive redoubt was to be constructed around a 22 miles (35 km) radius from the port of Haiphong ensuring its safety from artillery attack. All these new defensive lines were to be connected by roads capable of bearing 30-ton tanks. Construction commenced in late 1950 and was largely complete by the end of 1951.[1]: 116
While the De Lattre Line provided some degree of security and formed an anchor point for French mobile operations outside the Delta, it was far from impenetrable and entire Việt Minh combat units could be easily infiltrated through the gaps between strongpoints.[1]: 213
Following the withdrawal of the French from northern Vietnam in October 1954 the De Lattre Line was abandoned. Today the deteriorating blockhouses are either unused or used by farmers.
^ abWindrow, Martin (2004). The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam. Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 0-297-84671-X.
The DeLattreLine, named after General Jean deLattrede Tassigny, was a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles, and weapons installations constructed...
Jean Joseph Marie Gabriel deLattrede Tassigny (2 February 1889 – 11 January 1952) was a French général d'armée during World War II and the First Indochina...
defeats on the Hanoi perimeter, DeLattre decided to seize the city of Hòa Bình, 20 miles (32 km) west of the DeLattreLine, in an attempt to hinder the...
called the barrier a "billion dollar Maginot line concept". Vietnam portal United States portal DeLattreLine Operation Igloo White Operation Kentucky Operation...
cancelled the operation on November 14, beginning to withdraw back to the DeLattreLine. The only major fighting during the operation came during the withdrawal...
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People's Army, operating in the Phu Nho Quam forests, 12 miles from the DeLattreLine, was targeted by Operation Mouette. Mouette is the French term for seagull...
fighting. After falling back to the French defensive positions around the deLattreline, the battalion was reorganized and reinforced, with a third company...
of the Forces Francaises de l'Interieur. The two French corps constituted French Army B commanded by Général Jean deLattrede Tassigny which was later...
and was a critic of the Maginot Line and a proponent of mechanised warfare. Lacouture suggests that Mayer focused de Gaulle's thoughts away from his obsession...
Struggles and Rebellions, 1943–1948. OUP Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-258286-7. Jean deLattre (1952). The History of the French First Army. Allen and Unwin. Paul Gaujac...
to Indochina, but a year later, in 1950, newly arrived General Jean deLattrede Tassigny dismissed him from the general staff. In late 1953, Piroth was...
after the liberation of Rome" De Tassigny, Jean deLattre (1985). Reconquérir: 1944-1945. Textes du maréchal Lattrede Tassigny réunis et présentés par...
Jean deLattrede Tassigny's French First Army. Leclerc regarded the First Army as being full of traitors who had supported Vichy France. Moreover, de Lattre...
1992) on Alphonse Juin, Jean deLattrede Tassigny and Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque. Fenby, Jonathan. The General: Charles de Gaulle and the France He...
still others were assigned as army reserve units for the use of General deLattrede Tassigny's French First Army. From October 1944 until March 1945, the...
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suggestions. De Gaulle wanted Paris to be stubbornly defended by deLattre, but instead it was declared an open city. At around 23:00 Reynaud and de Gaulle...
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