The Battle of Dong Khe (September 1950) was a major battle of the First Indochina War fought at Đông Khê. The fight began on 15 September 1950 and ended on 18 September with a French defeat. It took place in Dong Khe, in the Province of Tonkin, from September 15 to September 18, 1950, ending with a Viet Minh victory. As the Colonial Route 4 was a vital supply line that provided the Viet Minh with weapons and ammunition from China, the commander of the Viet Minh forces, Nguyen Giap, wanted to hang on to this important route at whatever cost. Thus, in order to avoid a future French attack aimed at blocking this vital supply line, he deemed necessary to capture the French outpost of Dong Khe. When more Chinese weapons and communist troops had arrived in Tonkin through the border of northern V