An exercise in creative writing

Finally my course in Dien Bien Phu history is coming to an end. We had a simulation of the court martial the Commander-in-Chief Henri Navarre for the charge of malfeasance resulting in French defeat in that decisive battle in 1954. My group played the role of the politician Joseph Laniel, trying to evade from blame of not supporting the indochina war, and an equal culprit for causing the defeat. The following is a diary entry written in the first person of Joseph Laniel at the conclusion of the trial, which found Navarre guilty as charged, of course.

Dear Diary,

Finally, it’s over. France got rid of that donkey Navarre who tarnished her imperial legacy forever. No, France wasn’t meant to leave Indoina like the beaten dogs the troops were at Dien Bien Phu; I promised my fellow Frenchmen an honorable solution, to leave the Viet ingrates with the glory of our French imperial glory intact. To think I went before the Assembly last March and insisted the VM evacuate the Red River delta as a condition for ceasefire, that defeat cost us both Hanoi and Haiphong. Why did Navarre wage a battle he couldn’t win? What the hell was he thinking? Didn’t he assure Admiral Cabanier in 1953 the military situation would turn in our favor and we could negotiate out of this mess? The defense lawyers were definitely right; Ely is as stupid as the imbecile he appointed as C-in-C of the far east command.

I’m equally appalled by the bitch-fight between Navarre and Cogny this afternoon. What is wrong with the French army?? Navarre, you brought untold disgrace upon yourself for not firing that media whore and let him screw up your unfortunate decision to take DBP. Worse still, you ADMITTED to incompetence due to lack of operational experience as your defense?! Who’s going to believe that?

It seems that the Yanks are as gullible today as they were in ‘53. The French public would never allow us to prosecute a decisive military victory against the vm. Eight years in IndoC with superior firepower and mobility and all we managed was a stalemate, and ol’ Dulles still expects Navarre to score a victory for the Free World. Get over it. Navarre’s defense seemed to suggest he went on the offensive (when his plan was to avoid one) because the Yanks wished for it. Here in Paris I was doing all I could for an honorable settlement for France and Navarre wants to play Genghis!! That judge is another dumbass for even taking Castries’ note seriously and asked me why I authorized Navarre’s plan without authorizing reinforcements. The French wants out and Navarre should obey when his superiors instructed him to keep the safety of his troops as his top priority. As a servant of the state, Navarre owes obedience to the state, not to his ego and certainly not to the bloody Yanks. Good riddance.

My blood is boiling,
Joseph