Dien Bien Phu

This docudrama chronicles the decisive battle of Dien Bien Phu during the First Indochina War. French and Vietnamese forces trade gunfire in a 57-day siege that will ultimately result in the partition of the country into northern and southern regions -- setting the stage for America's Vietnam War. Observing the chaos is U.S. journalist Howard Simpson (Donald Pleasence), who subverts official censorship to get the story back to his office at the San Francisco Chronicle.