Following the Sino-Vietnamese defeat at Huguette Hill, the Chinese Federation began to concentrate their Air Force in Indochina, determined to gain the control of the sky. The Europeans in turn, struggled to reinforce their air defences in the region, as they had already to fight the Indians in Ceylon, where the Indian Empire had succeeded in occupying the Northern portion of the island and the Chinese in the Philippines, where they attempted a landing, in spite of their disadvantage at sea.
If things were going badly, in Dien Bien Phu, they were even worse. The base was now under intense shelling by the Chinese and with the gradual loss of air superiority, it became difficult to send supplies and reinforcements. At the same time, the Chinese and their allies launched frequent raids against the European positions, bleeding the defenders, exhausting their resources and eroding their morale. This notwithstanding, even the Chinese faced difficulty, as their supply lines were over-stretched and targeted by the European forces elsewhere, while the ill-disciplined rebel forces from Vietnam and Laos grew demoralised and started thinking of desertion...
"General Li, our troops are exhausted, soldiers are deserting and if we keep this trend, you will be fighting this battle alone. Do you understand that those small attacks are making more damages to us than to the Gweilo?"
Speaking so harshly, was a Vietnamese General, worried about the state of his troops.
"As the Provisional Government is consolidating control over Laos and rebuilding the infrastructure, we will soon receive more constant supplies." Reassured a General from Laos. "Thing is, just like for Vietnam, also my troops are trained for guerrilla operation, rather than to field battles. I am therefore afraid that they may soon grow exhausted and collapse."
Li Xingke shook his head and turned his eyes at his aide; she in turn, looked with concern at the other generals. "Gentlemen." Started the woman. "If we fail in Dien Bien Phu, the Europeans will keep Northern Vietnam. The Chinese Federation is growing exhausted and India is already seeking a separate peace, as is losing in Ceylon. Lose here and you can forget about Vietnamese independence."
"You heard my aide." Said then Li. "This was what we were told by the Eunuchs. Now, I have a plan and I can set it in motion, but I will need the full commitment of your troops. I can assure you that we will come out here as the victors."
Another day came to an end in the Dien Bien Phu valley and as usual, Giulio went to review his troops, deployed in the trenches of Hill Huguette. The morale was dropping, but his men were kept together by the awareness of not having other choices but fighting. In any case, between dead and wounded, the losses were already considerable and many of them had been killed or injured during the bombings, without having even seen combat. Worse: with the air supremacy lost, the enemy had been able to target with greater intensity and accuracy the airfields, by this point disabled.
"Though our losses have been heavy, it's not our position that worries me." Said Sergeant-Major Dellantonio, after the review. "Look down there, at the first lines: they're running out of men and struggle to keep the whole area covered. They should fall back."
"You heard General Juin, didn't you?" Was Giulio's reply. "Not one step back. He believes that if we do so, we will fall faster."
"Then he should at least reinforce us." Protested the Sergeant.
"The command promised to airdrop the 3rd and the 2nd Tonkinese Rifles and 4th Moroccan Spahis."
"The Spahis?" Asked Dellantonio, with disgust. "I don't trust those Arabs; I don't even know how the Army gives them knightframes."
Giulio shrugged his shoulders. "They are good fighters."
"Nah, people of the desert. They are good at hiding, running and shooting you from behind. That's what they're good at."
Giulio laughed. "Right, Sergeant. In any case, that's what we've got and we'll have to live with it. Now, if you will excuse me, I'd like to have dinner with my girlfriend, whom I haven't seen in a while."
Thus, Giulio went to meet Héléne at the officers' mess, in Eliane, near the command centre.
"Giulio! It's a nightmare! I can't take it any longer!" She exclaimed, hugging him and crying, as they were reunited. "I haven't changed this in days." She added, referring to her uniform, by this point completely covered by the blood of many people she had assisted.
"I know... I feel the same way." Whispered Giulio. "This place is hell on Earth."
"Dad wrote me." She continued. "He says that many people are preparing to flee from Hanoi and there's a helicopter parked in the garden of the Governor's palace. He said... he said that he and mom won't leave... not without me." She resumed crying.
"Don't worry." Said Giulio, hugging her. "They won't need to leave. We will hold."
"Do you... Do you still believe it?" She asked, with a broken voice.
"I do. From what I know, the Gooks may be even more exhausted than we are. So, if we hold for long enough, they will likely have to give up and fall back. Many analysts agree that if we win here, the war will have its days counted."
"I can't believe it." Said the girl, with now a more stable voice. "I can't believe you found time to do your reading while in the trenches fighting."
"I'm a nerd, that's what nerds do." Replied Giulio shrugging his shoulders and making her laugh.
Back to his position, Giulio did not fell asleep. Instead, he sat on top of a turret that looked down at the valley, now immerged in darkness, letting the rain wash him. There was nearly total silence and, in the rain, he could even hear the slow steps of the sentinels that patrolled the European positions. He decided to walk towards the northern sector, while lighting a cigar. He enjoyed every single moment of it: the taste, the smell of the tobacco, everything made him think of home, of his mother, of his sister who wrote him many enthusiastic letters. He did not have the courage to tell her of what a hell Vietnam was, plus, he did not find it fair to destroy her dreams and her aspirations. He then thought of his mother and he imagined her getting upset when hearing about Héléne: not only his new girlfriend was a commoner, but also an Asian and a model, what a scandal! He laughed at the thought.
All his thoughts, however, where suddenly interrupted when he reached the passage between Hill Huguette and Hill Anne-Marie, from where he had the sensation of hearing the noise of frenetic movement.
"Psst, sentinel!" He then called, referring to a nearby French soldier guarding a turret.
"Yes, sir?" Asked loudly the man.
"Lower your voice, you idiot!" Whispered Giulio. "There's something going on down there."
"It's impossible, sir." Replied the sentinel. "The position is well guarded and last message from them came... one hour ago?" The soldier grew worried, all of a sudden, when he checked his communication devices.
"Aim a flashlight down there, let's see what happens." Told him Giulio, holding the cigar between his teeth.
The soldier obeyed and when he aimed the light down into the passage, all of Giulio's concerns proven right: many Vietnamese soldiers were silently sneaking through the trenches inside the base, after having killed all the soldiers guarding the position.
"There they are! The fucking rats! Sound the alarm!" Shouted Giulio, while he started throwing several grenades on the enemy.
Soon the whole base was in alert, with soldiers mobilising and getting ready to the combat. Too late: as soon as the alert was given, several depots began to explode and combat began inside the perimeter, as the Vietnamese had already entered. In the meantime, the enemy launched three major attacks: on Anne-Marie 4, to secure the passage, on Huguette, where Giulio was and also on Hill Béatrice, to the Northeast of the perimeter.
"Here Galahad-Canossa, I require immediate reinforcements. Repeat: I need immediate reinforcements."
"Here De Castries. It's impossible. The cavalry is already engaged in Béatrice, the situation is critical over there."
"It will get critical down here too if we're not reinforced!" Shouted Giulio on the radio. "Height 4 is nearly falling and here on Height 5 we won't last for long."
"I can get you artillery coverage." Proposed the General.
"But we're fighting in close quarters!" Shouted Giulio, then recomposing himself. "Fine, never mind, I'll do it myself."
"Calm down, Galahad." Said then De Castries. "There's what's left of the Swedish Life Guards coming over."
"Thank God." Concluded Giulio, letting himself fall on a chair.
"Any news?" Asked the commander of a French battalion deployed there.
"The Swedes are coming." Replied Giulio.
"Not that there are many left, after that madman of Von Hopke went full Valhalla against the Chinese artillery." Noted the Frenchman.
Giulio shrugged his shoulders: "Still better than nothing."
In the meantime, one of his subordinates called: "Captain Galli from Huguette 4 here. Enemy just broke through our line. The Alpini go down fighting. Di qui non si passa!"
"Huguette 4 gone. Enemy advancing to our position." Informed an operator.
"Fine, let me take care of this." Said Giulio standing up and picking up a gun. "Major Pierre, you stay here and keep everything monitored. I'll go teach Charlie a lesson."
Giulio walked outside the bunker used as a command centre, with his gun and infrared glasses and began to rally the soldiers around him.
"Forwards! To me! Let's kick the rats back to where they came!" He shouted, before climbing a trench and from its top firing repeatedly on the enemy. However, it was not just the infantry to be fighting there: the Chinese knightframes were present in large numbers and were responsible for most kills. Plus, he knew it well, their anti-tank ammunition was running low. Nonetheless, he had chosen to show courage, now he had to go with that until the end.
"Forwards! Attack!" He shouted, as he kept advancing, ignoring the enemy fire and firing back. In fact, he was afraid. He knew he had likely taken that step too far and it would likely be his last., but now he could afford to run into hiding.
"Sir, down!" Shouted a soldier, pushing him down right before a Chinese knightframe could do it with its automatic guns.
Giulio sat in the mud and took a long breath, thankful that someone stopped his madness.
"You alright, Sir?" Asked the soldier to save him, extending his hand.
"I'm fine." Replied Giulio, getting up with his help. "Leading by the example." He added, with a smirk.
Soon after came the Swedish helicopters, with Colonel Von Hopke ahead, drunk, playing his electric guitar and rallying his troops, from his helicopter. Giulio could not resist laughing, as the helicopters began their attack. After an initial success, however, the Chinese began to send over their own helicopters and drones, overwhelming and destroying the Swedish forces. Von Hopke himself fell there, fighting heroically with his sabre, after his helicopter was taken down. Now the Chinese launched the last assault.
"Galahad, here is Major Pierre, we must fall back." Said his colleague from inside the bunker.
"Negative!" Replied Giulio, from the trenches. "We'll kick their ass!"
"Galahad, you don't understand! Hill Béatrice has fallen and so has Height 4 of Anne-Marie, the enemy is inside the perimeter of the base. De Castries just commanded to go back of Huguette 2 and wait for orders."
Giulio thought about what he had just heard: the enemy was already inside the base, which meant that the battle was already lost. Still, there were different ways of losing and if that was their destiny, he thought, it would at least make sense to concede the enemy only a Pyrrhic Victory, instead of an actual one.
"To all the troops on Height 5, disengage and retreat to Huguette 2. Repeat: disengage and retreat to Huguette 2."
The following morning, the situation for the Europeans was already hopeless: during the night, the Chinese had taken over Hill Béatrice, Height 4 of Anne-Marie and Heights 4 and 5 of Huguette, entered the perimeter of the base, destroyed many storages of ammunition and supplies, while inflicting heavy losses on the Europeans. In response, General Juin, ordered the evacuation of Hill Gabrielle towards Anne-Marie, as he intended to keep what was left of the airfield safe until the parachuting of the reinforcements. Furthermore, he believed his troops could still hold on Anne-Marie and use it as an advanced position to clear the base perimeter, an idea that, however was not shared by his staff.
"No, no, no, this is pure madness." Scoffed Brigadier General De Castries, when Juin presented his plan.
"We can't hold Anne-Marie, Sir." Added Giulio. "To be fair, our presence here on Huguette will be short-lived."
"Better not." Said sternly the General. "I need you to keep Piste Pavie open, to retain contact with Anne-Marie.
"And we need you to evacuate Anne bloody Marie!" Shouted Marcantonio, punching the table.
"Major Visconti, you will show more respect, when talking to a superior." Reprimanded the General.
"But he's right!" Protested Giulio. "Can't you hear the fighting going less than 200m from here? My, our soldiers are dying to keep that stupid road open!"
"Our soldiers, Major, are out there giving proof of heroism while their officers sit here, talking and talking." Was the General's answer. "Even if we were to evacuate, we couldn't do it before the arrival of the reinforcements and afterwards... Well, I am resolute not to yield a single inch of land to the Chinks."
With those words, the General left them, continuing his inspection. As he did so, the officers started talking between themselves.
"He's insane!"
"We must do something!"
"He'll get all of us killed."
"Silence!" Shouted De Castries. "You've heard the orders. Now back to your posts and keep holding."
Everyone looked at him with perplexity for a few instants, but then Giulio, before the others, saluted him: "Sir, yes sir."
Giulio walked outside, back to his position. It had stopped raining and it was now hot and humid. There was a persistent, unbearable smell of death in the air, a smell that – he thought – had accompanied him since the beginning of that campaign. What was the honour and glory of that all? He looked at his men, desperately fighting and dying only at a few meters from him. He lit another cigar. He did not have many left by now.
"Commands, sir?" Asked one of his officers, reaching him.
"Orders are the same. Keep fighting."
"Sir, we won't last for long." Protested the officer.
Giulio shrugged his shoulders. "Tell it to General Juin." He then looked at the sky. "Looks like... A hard rain's gonna fall?"
"Sir, with all due respect, this is already a fucking storm."
Giulio did not reply. Instead, he kept staring at the battlefield. In his mind, the words of Bob Dylan's song from where the quote came...
In spite of the heroic resistance of the Europeans in Huguette and of the paradropping of fresh troops and new supplies, the fate of Dien Bien Phu was sealed. The Chinese air superiority prevented the full launching of the reinforcements, while the troops on Huguette failed to hold for enough time to allow the reinforcements to organise themselves. This led to the loss of the airfield and the isolation of nearly 4,000 troops on Anne-Marie, while the bulk of the defending force retreated to the hills Dominique, Eliane, Junon and Claudine, where they sought to reorganise. In the meantime, strengthened by the arrival of more reinforcements from China and Thailand, Li Xingke managed to conquer Claudine 4, an internal position which guarded the shores of the Naum Yom River and was the last hope to retain contact with Anne-Marie, preventing the Asians to break in two the defence system.
As things worsened in Dien Bien Phu, Hanoi sunk in panic. Many people, sensing the imminent fall of Northern Vietnam, began to flee the city, overcrowding trains and airplanes, while the many other fleeing by car eventually blocked the highways leaving from Dien Bien Phu, disrupting, temporarily, the lines of communication between the city and the troops in the region. At the same time, rioters and looters began to spread chaos in the city, forcing the Governor to declare the Martial Law, while the Colonial Police violently cracked down on any even potentially dissident group.
Even in defeat, the bravery of the "Monte Cauriol" Alpini Battalion did not go unnoticed and they received the Golden Medal for Military merits to the flag, while Giulio himself received from the Governor-General (though without any official ceremony), the Knighthood of the Colonial Order of Indochina. Though glorified by the propaganda, his reality, however, remained the mud, the rotting corpses and fight for life in the trenches of Hill Junon, where he was trapped.
"My mom says that things in Hanoi are getting calmer." Said Héléne, bringing him the news she received home.
"My mom and my sister think I am in Saigon and that sometimes I go on operations against the Vietcongs with helicopters and playing The Ride of the Valkyries, like in the movie."
"Really?" Asked Héléne, laughing.
"Yes!" Replied Giulio, nodding and laughing along. "I don't want to make them worry too much, but also, I can't let them think I am just sitting doing nothing, so, that's a good compromise."
"Well, I can't disagree." Replied Héléne, turning then her eyes to the positions to the North, now controlled by the SCO.
Suddenly, a heavy rain started falling. The two were sitting on top of a bunker in Hill Junon, a central position which represented the junction between Claudine and Eliane (other than hosting the field hospital).
"I wish it wasn't raining that much. We would see a beautiful sunset." Commented Héléne.
Giulio shrugged his shoulders: "Don't wish for it: it's the only shower we'll have for still many days to come."
"Don't even mention it." Sobbed Héléne. "I can't even look at myself anymore."
"War sucks and this place is even worse than the average." Replied Giulio, melancholic.
"What's the thing with this watch, by the way?" She then asked, referring to Giulio's Patek-Philippe.
"Ah this." He started. "It's a family tradition: my great-grandfather wore it all the time, even when he was going to war, so did my grandfather, then my father and so do I. Everyone went, everyone came back, so we believe it's good luck."
"A risky tradition..." Replied Héléne, only to immediately interrupt herself: "By the way, look over there!" She added, pointing with her finger. "What's that?"
Giulio looked with his binoculars: "Troops, many troops, they are gathering, probably for an attack."
"Against Junon?" Asked the girl, appalled.
Giulio nodded and took her hand. "Come with me, we must give the alarm."
This was to be one of the last offensives on the Sino-Vietnamese on Dien Bien Phu. While Vietnamese, Lao and Thai troops attacked the Europeans on Junon and Anne-Marie, Li Xingke concentrated all of his troops on Hill Dominique, to the East.
In spite of their disadvantage, the Europeans fought tenaciously on all positions, repelling the Vietnamese and Thai troops from Junon and succeeding in holding on Anne-Marie 1 and 2, while losing position 4. At the same time, on Dominique, the Europeans lost positions 3 and 5, along the Route 41, leaving the remnants of the defending force surrounded at heights 1,2 and 6. This was a partial victory, for the Chinese, which nonetheless claimed thousands of lives on both sides. However, Li Xingke believed it was not time to stop, as every minute had become crucial and in spite of the exhaustion of his soldiers, he ordered a second, massive attack, mobilising all the reserves he had left.
Even during this last battle, the Alpini of the "Monte Cauriol" Battalion distinguished themselves for their bravery and tenacity in defending Junon and the field hospital against the waves of men that the Vietnamese were throwing on them. Left in around 150, from an initial force of 500 men and women, those soldiers (all of which aged between 18 and 21), supported by the Belgian paratroopers, by what was left of Marcantonio's cavalry squadron along with remnants of Scottish, Austrian, Polish and loyalist Vietnamese units, still represented a serious challenge to the exhausted Asian troops.
"Major Galahad, enemy falling back, should we counterattack?" Asked Sergeant-Major Dellantonio on the radio.
"Negative, Sergeant, we've lost enough troops and we're running low on ammo." Replied Giulio, who had been in one of the first trenches, leading his men and fighting along with them.
"Sir, the Belgian paratroopers are willing to join." Said the Belgian Major, as he heard of the offensive.
"And so are the Gordon Highlanders." Added the Scottish officer, while taking some whisky and then offering it to his colleagues.
"The 'Piemonte Cavalleria' is ready for the fight." Announced Marcantonio on the radio.
"Thanks." Replied Giulio, drinking some, then taking the radio. "To all troops, prepare for the counterattack!"
"Hooray!" Shouted his soldiers.
"We dug those trenches, we know them better than Charlie, let's use it to our advantage." Suggested the Belgian.
Giulio nodded. "I have already an idea."
Giulio's plan was simple, but effective: knowing that the enemy had amassed his troops on the trenches that made the first line, he blew them up, exploiting the underground tunnels reaching those positions and of which the Vietnamese weren't yet aware. As he predicted, the explosion, other than taking out of combat a large number of enemy soldiers, spread panic among those ahead, whom fearing an attack at their rear-guard, began to retreat in disorder, amassing in the trenches. Then that he unleashed the troops, which massacred the attackers as they sought to escape.
This led to regaining, temporarily, Junon, raising the morale of the troops and lowering that of the enemy, whose victory remained, however, inevitable.
"Major Galahad, you're a damn bloody bastard." Said the Scottish officer, offering him some whisky.
"Major Graham, yes and I'm proud of it." Replied Giulio, drinking and then lighting a cigar. He then turned at the troops: "Brave soldiers, congratulation to all of you for the bravery demonstrated by every single one of you. We are Europeans and we shall never surrender.
All hail Europa!" He shouted, raising his right arm in a salute.
"All hail Europa!"
All hail Europa!"
All hail Europa!"
Replied the soldiers and officers, returning the salute.
Their victory, however, did not last long, as Li Xingke, determined to seize that hill by the sunrise, launched a new massive attack later on the night. This time, there were no chances for the Europeans...
"Trenches 5, 6 and 7 have fallen, retreating to the rear." Communicated a Polish officer.
"Bunker 9 and 12 lost, sir. We hold on Bunker 10 and 11" Communicated an Austrian officer.
"6th company surrounded. 6th company keeps fighting." Announced an Italian officer before making the extreme sacrifice.
"We're overrun. Blowing our position in less than a minute." Wa a last announcement by a Vietnamese (loyalist) colleague.
Junon was lost and Giulio knew it. Such messages, that one after the other flooded the communication station of Junon, showed how quickly every position was falling, often with the total annihilation of the defenders.
"Orders from De Castries." Announced Major Graham: "He wants us to retreat to Eliane."
"And the hospital?" Asked Giulio, appalled.
The officer shook his head. "There's no time to evacuate."
Those words hit Giulio more than all the events so far: abandoning the hospital would have meant to abandon Héléne in the hands of the revengeful mob that the Viet Minh were. He knew there were no guarantees she would come out of it alive.
"Fine, me and my men will cover the retreat."
"You sure?" Asked the Major.
"Determined. Now tell everybody to retreat." He then took the radio and called his officers: "To all of the Alpini: fall back to the hospital fortifications. Repeat: back to the hospital perimeter."
His order was executed and as the others retreated, the Alpini gathered around the hospital, to fight alone against thousands of enemies at once. Giulio, in the meantime, established his command centre on a bunker right outside the field hospital (which by now was little more than a few underground rooms, dirty, filled with blood and mud, in which wounded were amassed and received some marginal assistance.
"Your gesture is commendable, but it's so much effort to defend people who are already dead." Told him the commander of the hospital, Lieutenant-colonel Cristopher Schwarz, who went to see him.
Giulio nodded. "Until they are in this world, they're not dead and I am not abandoning my comrades."
"Your comrades and your soulmate." Corrected the officer, who knew of Héléne. "Dating a celebrity has its own side effects."
"It does. Your privacy disappears." Told him Giulio. "Anyway, we'll do out duty until the end. There's no retreat now."
Soon after, the Vietnamese broke the lines of the Alpini and entered the hospital perimeter.
"To all the troops, retreat to trench 25, retreat to trench 25!" Ordered Giulio, recalling everyone back to the last trench left before the hospital, knowing it would have been a hopeless fight.
"Sergeant-Major Dellantonio here." Called the old Sergeant. "I really hoped to die in my mountains, but apparently it will be otherwise. Me and my men will cover the retreat. Best of luck to everyone!"
Upon saying so, the NCO threw his men to a desperate counter-attack. Finally, when the retreat was completed and the remnants of the battalion (around 100 by now) were in their position, combat ceased.
"Italians, do surrender!" Shouted a Vietnamese, with a broken French. "It's over, don't you see? There's nothing for you here."
The soldiers looked at each other, then turned to Giulio, who in turn, looked down at the enemy, shaking his head.
Silence briefly fell over the positions of the Italians. A total grave-like silence, barely disturbed by the sounds of the battle continuing elsewhere. Those few, eternal seconds were then broken by an Italian soldier, who began to sing an old tune of the Alpini:
"Al comando dei nostri ufficiali
Caricheremo cartucce a mitraglia
E se per caso il colpo si sbaglia
A baionetta l'assalto farem!"
Slowly, first Giulio, then all the other soldiers sang along:
"Tu nemico che sei tanto forte
Su fatti avanti se hai del coraggio
Che se qualcuno ti lascia il passaggio
Noi altri Alpini fermarti saprem!
Care mamme che tanto tremate
Non disperate pei vostri figlioli
Che qui sull'Alpe non siamo noi soli
C'è tutta Italia che a fianco ci sta!"*
The Vietnamese resumed the assault and the Italians fought back, using all they had available and fending them off with knives, maces, bayonets or whatever they found when these would enter this last trench. It would have been their end, was not for the intervention of the cavalry, supported by some infantry that from Hill Eliane launched an attack against the Viet Minh, opening a corridor and reaching the field hospital, forcing the enemy to interrupt the assault.
"Major Galahad, Lieutenant-colonel Schwarz, I have orders to evacuate all the troops and the field hospital." Said Lieutenant-colonel De Cristoforis, upon meeting with Giulio and with the commander of the hospital, after the attack.
"It will take time to evacuate all the wounded." Said Schwarz. "But we'll be quick."
"No sir, only the personnel. We must leave the wounded unable to walk and to walk fast behind." Informed De Cristoforis.
Both Giulio and the commander of the hospital looked at him appalled.
"Gentlemen, these are orders from General Juin."
"Then, sir, I'll have to disobey." Said Schwarz. "No proper doctor would abandon his patients."
"You don't understand, we need doctors on Eliane!" Shouted De Cristoforis. "Our men are dying also there!"
"So are they here and if I was to abandon them, I could no longer consider myself a doctor."
De Cristoforis frowned. He was nervous and he knew that the Vietnamese would resume soon and there was no time for negotiation.
"Look, fine if you want to stay, but you'll give us your personnel."
"Enemy troops moving!" Announced a soldier from a knightframe.
Schwarz nodded. "Then see who wants to stay and who wants to go."
Unfortunately, even among the rest of the personnel, only very few accepted, reluctantly to go and abandon the hospital. Much to Giulio's dismay, among those staying was also Héléne...
"Why?" Shouted Giulio, as he heard her choice. "Don't be insane! Come with us."
"Sorry." She replied with a feeble voice. "People here needs help and all the best doctors are coming with you."
"But there's enough people here! They don't need you. Please." Giulio was growing desperate as he sensed the resoluteness of the girl.
She shook her head. "I must stay behind. If all those like me reasoned that way. No one would be left."
"But it doesn't need to be you! Héléne! Haven't you seen what the Gooks do to loyalist prisoners?"
She nodded, with tears falling from her eyes, then spoke, with a broken voice. "I'm from the Red Cross, however, they won't touch me, you'll see."
"No, Héléne..." Insisted the young nobleman, taking her hands. "I promised to protect you..."
"And you did!" She replied, putting her hands over his. "But now you must go to do your duty and I have mine here. Pretend I'll be in Hanoi, waiting for you."
De Cristoforis, however, interrupted their conversation: "Major, it's time to go."
Héléne kissed him and he embraced her.
"Now go, noble knight." She said, letting him go.
"I love you." Said Giulio.
"Vietnamese about to attack!" Shouted a sentinel.
"I love you too! And tell my parents that I love them, if something happens to me."
"Time to go!" Exclaimed De Cristoforis.
"Farewell, my love!" Shouted Giulio, before being pushed away by his superior.
The soldiers left quickly, disappearing in the darkness and taking with them part of the personnel. The Vietnamese marched into that last trench right after, unwilling to fight more. Instead, this time, as they marched in, they only found a very young Franco-Vietnamese nurse, dressed in a white uniform stained by blood, crying and looking East, saluting, with a shaking hand, the departing troops.
NOTES:
* The song is called "Al Comando dei Nostri Ufficiali" (Under the Command of Our Officers), it actually exists and translates as it follows:
Under the command of our officers/ We shall load bullets to the gun/ And if by chance, the shot misses/ With the bayonet we shall assault/ Oh you, enemy/ Who are so strong/ Come forward, if you have courage/ That if anyone lets you pass through/ We, the Alpini, shall know how to stop you/ Dear moms, who pray so much/ Do not despair for your children/ Because here on the Alp we are not alone/ There's the whole of Italy standing on our side.