Long Bien Bridge was built in 1903 by the architects of Dayde & Pille, a French company. It is a historic cantilever bridge that spans the Red River, some 2.5 km in length. From 1899 to 1902, more than 3,000 Vietnamese took part in the construction. Before Vietnam's independence in 1954, it was called the Doumer Bridge after Paul Doumer, the Governor-General of French Indochina and then French president. Defence of the bridge played a major role in the Vietnam War against the United States, as the bridge provided the only secure connection to the port of Haiphong. It was heavily bombarded and was rendered unusable for a year when, in May 1972, it fell victim to one of the first coordinated attacks using laser-guided 'smart bombs'. The defense of Long Bien Bridge continues to play a large role in Hanoi's self-image and is often extolled in poetry and song.