Battle of Na San The Battle of Nà Sản was fought between French Union forces and the Nationalist forces of the Việt Minh at Nà Sản , Sơn La Province , during the First Indochina War for control of the T ’ ai region ( Northwest territory ) . Nà Sản . Nà Sản , conveniently located on provincial route 41 ( RP 41 ) , was a valley of 2 km x 1 km surrounded by 24 hills that could serve as natural defense positions . In early October 1952 , there was a single outpost and a short airstrip , both guarded by a company under the command of a non - commissioned officer . General Salan used the Hanoi - based French Air Force Dakota s to transport troops and material there in order to complete a fortified outpost allowing a direct confrontation with the Việt Minh divisions . The " hedgehog " . During the battle , Colonel Gilles used a new tactic , called " the hedgehog " ( " le hérisson " ) , for the first time . The hedgehog defense consisted of an outpost surrounded by several armed positions ( " point d ' appui " or " P . A . " ) . The objective was to provoke an enemy frontal assault , rather than fighting off hit - and - run attacks or falling into ambushes . Nà Sản ' s hedgehog consisted of 30 P . A . with a complicated trench system , enforced with barbed wires . Its defense forces consisted of 11 battalions ( 15 , 000 men ) and 6 artillery batteries . This tactic earned the French a victory at the battle of Nà Sản . As a result , the hedgehog defense became standard practice , until the French defeat at Điện Biên Phủ . The evacuation of a similar outpost at An Khê led to the disastrous Battle of Mang Yang Pass that ended the war in 1954 . Though the Na San camp was successfully evacuated itself in August 1953 . Lieutenant colonel Ducourneau Commandant Casso Opposing forces . Việt Minh attacking forces . General Vo Nguyen Giap , Commander of the Thai region Campaign Commander : Colonel Vuong Thua Tu Commander : Colonel Le Trong Tan Commander : Colonel Le Quang Ba Vietminh forces from the 88 / 308 attacked twice at P . A . 8 and twice it was pushed back by the entrenched Franco - Vietnamese troops . Every night , Vietminh forces attacked different points to test French defense . During the days , defending troops patrolled within their fire - support range for reconnaissance . At 8 : 00 PM , Vietminh forces from 9 battalions attacked P . A . 22 bis and 24 , respectively located east and west of the entrenched headquarters . P . A . 22 bis , defended by a company of the 2nd Thai battalion ( BT2 ) was overrun by the 115th battalion ( 165 / 312 ) after 9 hours of relentless attacks . Of the 225 men defending the P . A . , only one squad was able to escape back to the airfield . P . A . 24 bravely resisted 3 hours of constant attacks by the 102 / 308 before surrendering . Colonel Gilles , who wanted to take back the 2 points so close to Na San ' s headquarters , launched his attack at dawn . After a barrage of artillery fire , two companies of the 2nd Foreign Airborne Battalion stormed and took back 22 bis . After 7 hard - fought hours , the 3rd BPC took back P . A . 24 . At 9 : 00 PM , General Giap ' s forces launched their all out offensive at Nà Sản . Wave after wave of soldiers relentlessly assaulted several P . A . , especially 21 bis and 26 ; sometimes the attackers outnumbered the defenders fifteen to one . All night , Dakotas dropped flares over the battlefields to give support troops visibility to defend the positions . Defending forces continuously fired their cannons into Vietminh human waves while Privateers dropped bombs onto enemy positions around Nà Sản . The battles raged on until mid - morning when all attacks abruptly stopped , leaving behind an eerie silence . The battle . Na San had achieved the unthinkable : halting Giap ' s seemingly unstoppable Vietminh forces .