

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dien_Bien_Phu
They brought in vast amounts of heavy artillery (including anti-aircraft guns) and managed to move these bulky weapons through difficult terrain up the rear slopes of the mountains. They dug tunnels and arranged the guns to target the French positions.
No risk at all that a drug kingpin could finance their liberation.
The latter made me aware of the former.