The First Indochina War is going to be poorly for French. General Henri Navarre arrived in Hanoi and couldn't find that plan for defeating Viet Miinh. In June 1953, creating a "mooring point" was a idea of Major General René Cogny at the Dien Bien Phu.
Navarre seized on the location for trying the hedgehog approach. Though his subordinates protested, pointing out that unlike Na San they would not hold the high ground around the camp, Navarre persisted and planning moved forward. On November 20, 1953, Operation Castor commenced and 9,000 French troops were dropped into the Dien Bien Phu area over the next three days.
Vo Nguyen Giap dispatched troops against the fortified camp at Lai Chau and forced the Dien Bien War when Colonel Christian de Castries in command, they quickly overcame local Viet Minh opposition and began building a series of eight fortified strong points.The Viet Minh destroyed the 2,100-man column and only 185 reached the new base on December 22. Vo Nguyen Giap saw the chance in that battle so he moved 50,000 men into the hills and as well as the bulk of his heavy artillery and anti-aircraft guns.