The town of Bắc Kạn was one of the early headquarters of the Việt Minh in the war against the French. Jean-Étienne Valluy aimed to surround the area and capture the town in Operation Léa between 7 October and 22 December 1947. A parachute drop caught the Việt Minh by surprise and seized letters left on the desk of Ho Chi Minh. Both Ho and Võ Nguyên Giáp escaped only by hiding in camouflaged holes nearby. It was also an area of fighting between the communists and Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng armed forces.