How were these three historic battles similar? 1. Gettysburg. 2. Midway. 3. Dien Bien Phu. Discussion?

Question

Gettysburg was a classic land battle in the Civil War. 1863.

Midway was a classic sea battle in World War II. 1942.

Dien Bien Phu was a classic land battle in the Indochina War of Independence. 1954.

Each battle was unique, reflecting the military forces which were engaged and the leadership that planned and executed them. But there were similarities which make each battle worthy of study. They are subtle but a military historian should easily spot them.

This question calls for a student of military history who has done his homework, but the answers are really quite simple.

By the way, this is a tough question. But those who know these battles will have no trouble answering.

America was not directly involved in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, although we did provide some support to one side.

First hint. Each battle was planned by the side that lost.

Answer 1

They where all turning points in the wars they were fought in. At Gettysburg the South was hoping that an invasion and victory in the North would force a peace deal. It failed, part do to lack of intelligence on the location of the Union Army causing the south to fight a battle not on ground of their choicing. The other part was that they where over confident, the had beaten the Union in almost every battle and did not think the could lose. It caused them to be sloppy.

Midway the Japanese planned on attack the Island, forcing the US Navy to defend it, destroying them, and forcing a peace deal. The US had brooken the Japanese radio code and had knowledge of their plan. They set up an ambush and sank four of their aircraft carriers. This destroyed the Japanses offensive naval capablities for the rest of the war. Once again the Japanese where overconfident when they went in.

Dien Bien Phu was the France's finial battle in Veitnam. They set up a base in a mountain valley. It was thought that the mountains where to high for the Vietnamese to move arytillery up. The Vietnamese had caputered American guns from the Korean war that could be disasembled and carried up the mountains. Was there they shelled the French day and night and cut of the roads leading into them. The French had aircraft flighing resupply missions but the airfield was later destroyed. Cut of, out of supplies, they were forced to surrender. The French thought the Veitnamese could never make it up the hill, they where wrong and it cost them. Just like in the other battles listed above.

Answer 2

There are a couple of simularities.

Each battle was a result of one side entering into the other sides territory, either planned (Dien Bien Phu) or accidental (Gettysburg).

Each battle is also usually held up as as "Turning Point" battle but in each case there is good evidence that the trend of that particular war had already been set (ie. the tide had already turned) and these battles just got the credit.

Each battle is also highly influenced by the "lay of the land", more than is usual. The choke points in Midway, the mountains around DBP, and the ridges in Gettysburg.

Intelligence (or lack therof) seems to be a common thread but I think that is not a unique commonality amoungst the three. It shows up in most battles.

Answer 3

They were all turning points. Gettysburg was the high water mark for the Confederacy. They were never on the offensive again afterward.

Midway was the same for Japan. They lost the cream of their naval aviation and spent the rest of the war on the defensive. They really never went on the offensive again.

Dien Bien Phu marked the turning point for French involvement in Indochina. After the battle the French negotiated their way out of Vietnam.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

People died for a cause.

Answer 6

We won all of them?

Answer 7

they were fought with real bullets.