Genevieve de Galard: The Sole French Nurse at Dien Bien Phu

Genevieve de Galard at Dien Bien Phu before the seige.

Courtesy of Genevieve de Heaulme

As the enemy moved in, Genevieve's very presence lightened the profound sense of hopelessness falling upon the garrison. Later that day a large group of French paratroopers landed in the area. One of them, when he saw Genevieve, exclaimed cheerfully, "What do you know? There's a woman here!"

Though overwhelmed with medical work, Genevieve tried to attend to the men's emotional needs as well, explaining later that "when wounded, the toughest man becomes as vulnerable as a child and needs to feel supported...In Dien Bien Phu I was, in a way, a mother, a sister, a friend"


Excerpt from "Genevieve de Galard: 'I Only Did My Duty'" from Courageous Women of the Vietnam War.