What was the deal regarding the Chinese invasion of North Vietnam?

[Lancer]

Why did they do it and what was the result? Did they meet their goals or get beaten?

[Verto]

Why no love for the History forum?

[LordShiva]

Teh Chinese were upset that Vietnam toppled teh Utopian government of their good friend Pol Pot

[Lancer]

I don't recognise the splitting of the OT.

[SlowwHand]

Are you talking about "back then"? They aided North Vietnam, they didn't invade North Vietnam. It was to spread communism.

I was at Saigon for the evacuation. It wasn't orderly, particularly. The prevalent thought of the people was, they wanted out. Most here, as a counterpoint, wouldn't have gotten out. Professionals that could add worth got out. I'd have been a boat person.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Sino-Soviet proxy war.

And no, they didn't meet their goals; they got their asses handed to them by the Vietnamese. You've gotta love Vietnam: tiny country without much historical significance, yet they've managed to take down at least 3 world powers (China, France, US). They're nothing if not scrappy.

[Lancer]

LS, you must be joking. Chinese Pol Pot?

Sloww, this was later. Full on Chinese invasion of North Vietnam.

Rufus, that's a good thing. I wonder if all the equipment we left behind helped.

"Sino-Soviet proxy war."

So the Sovs supported Vietnam?

[SlowwHand]

France left, China didn't "invade", and the USA screwed the pooch by not letting the military run the war.

[LordShiva]

Vietnam

China did invade, Sloww

[Lancer]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
France left, China didn't "invade", and the USA screwed the pooch by not letting the military run the war.

Yes I know, this was later. Maybe '78 or 79ish, not sure.

[LordShiva]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Vietnamese_War

[SlowwHand]

ok. I was there in '75. Udorn after that, in Thailand, closing.

[KrazyHorse]

a) China never invaded "North Vietnam". The country was unified under Hanoi by the time of the Chinese invasion

b) The Vietnamese took down the Khmer Rouge in '78-'79. The Khmer were proxies of the Chinese, who had recently aligned themselves with the US against the USSR. The Vietnamese had gradually drifted into the USSR camp.

c) The Khmer were bat**** insane and were busy slaughtering ethnic Vietnamese on both sides of the border. The Vietnamese invaded and took down one of the most murderous regimes in modern history in short order.

d) The PRC weren't happy that their team had lost, so they decided to take matters into their own hands. Turns out the Vietnamese were no slouches and they handed the Chinese their asses.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
France left, China didn't "invade", and the USA screwed the pooch by not letting the military run the war.

France sure as **** didn't leave voluntarily; they got kicked out. Ditto the US. And China couldn't even manage to get in.

The Vietnamese

[Lancer]

KH, quite right on the 'North Vietnam' mistake/correction.


"ok. I was there in '75. Udorn after that, in Thailand, closing."

How did you end up your tour in Thailand Sloww? That sounds like a good posting.

Rufus, iirc they showed the door to the Mongols too, the only nation to successfully defy them. Hmm. Yeah I think that's true.