In comparison, altogether the Viet Minh had moved up to 50,000 regular troops into the hills surrounding the French-held valley, totalling five divisions, including the 351st Heavy Division, which was an artillery formation equipped with medium artillery, such as the US M101 105mm howitzer, supplied by the neighbouring People's Republic of China (PRC) from captured stocks obtained from defeated Nationalist China as well as US forces in Korea, together with some heavier field-guns as well as anti-aircraft artillery. Various types of artillery and anti-aircraft guns (mainly of Soviet origin), which outnumbered their French counterparts by about four to one, were moved into strategic positions overlooking the valley and the French forces based there. The French garrison came under sporadic direct artillery fire from the Viet Minh for the first time on 31 January 1954 and patrols encountered the Viet Minh troops in all directions around them. The French were completely surrounded.
In comparison altogether the Viet Minh had moved up to 50000 regular troops into the hills surrounding the French-held valley totalling five divisions including the 351st Heavy Division which was an artillery formation equipped with medium artillery such as the US M101 105mm howitzer supplied by the neighbouring People's Republic of China (PRC) from captured stocks obtained from defeated Nationalist China as well as US forces in Korea together with some heavier field-guns as well as anti-aircraft artillery Various types of artillery and anti-aircraft guns (mainly of Soviet origin) which outnumbered their French counterparts by about four to one were moved into strategic positions overlooking the valley and the French forces based there The French garrison came under sporadic direct artillery fire from the Viet Minh for the first time on 31 January 1954 and patrols encountered the Viet Minh troops in all directions around them The French were completely surrounded