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Podcast: New Books in East Asian Studies
Episode: Christian C. Lentz, "Contested Territory: Ðien Biên Phu and the Making of Northwest Vietnam" (Yale UP, 2019)
Description: Why is Vietnam's modern history so closely associated with a place that lies only just within the country's borders? What was at stake in the contest for the mountainous Black River region that culminated in the legendary French defeat of 1954? How did the different ethnic groups living around Điện Biên Phủ position themselves, when forced to choose between France and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam? Why did some groups in the region dream of greater autonomy, under a just king, following the pivotal battle? How come women played such a crucial role in this conflict? In what ways h...