Lecture 7 China ’ s Involvement in the Vietnam War

China ’ s Policy toward the Settlement of the 1 st Indochina War  Focus on domestic problems after the end of the Korean War;  Preventing another direct Sino- American confrontation;  Forging a new international image.

Beijing ’ s Attitude toward North Vietnam  Neither hindering nor encouraging Hanoi ’ s effort to “ liberate ” the South by military means.  , how to consolidate the revolutionary achievement in the North is V.C. ‘ s most urgent task;  Dec, 1955, Beijing recall the Chinese Military Advisory Group;  Summer 1958, “ Promote socialist revolution and reconstruction in the North, revolutionary transformation in the South;

Beijing ’ s Attitude toward North Vietnam  May, 1960, Zhou advised the Vietnamese to adopt a flexible approach in the South by combining political & military struggle;  The relationship between the PRC and the DRV was very close in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the leaders of two countries frequently visited each other.  Beijing ’ s propaganda campaign: a natural ally of the oppressed peoples of the world in their struggle for national liberation.

Beijing ’ s Aiding to Hanoi  Intensifying revolutionary insurgence in South Vietnam might overextend America ’ s commitment, thus improving China ’ s position in its conflict with the US in East Asia.(1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis)  Offering substantial military aid to Vietnam before 1963.

Aiding  Total :320 million yuan, including:  270,000 guns, over 10,000 pieces artillery,  200 million bullets of different types,  2.02 million artillery shells,  15,000 wire transmitters,  5,000 radio transmitters,  1,000 trucks, 28 naval vessels, 1.18 million military uniform

Radical turn in late 1962 and early 1963  Summer 1962, Ho Chi Minh and Ngugen Chi Thanh ’ report;  1963, Luo Ruiqing ’ s visit to Hanoi;  June 1964, Mao “ if the US risks the war to North Vietnam, Chinese troops should across the border (to enter the war) ”.

Reasons for Beijing ’ s More Aggressive Strategy toward the Vietnam War  Rapid radicalization of China ’ s political & social life in the 1960s;  Deteriorating relations between China & the Soviet Union;  China ’ s understanding of the central role China was to play in promoting revolutionary movements in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Escalation of the Vietnam War  1961, Special forces “ Green Berets ” in South Vietnam, to implement “ Strategic Hamlet Program ” ;  August 1964, Gulf of Tonkin Incident;  March 8, 1965, 3500 US marines dispatched to South Vietnam, marking the beginning of American ground war.

China ’ s Warning Signals to the US  Jan. 9, 1965, Mao ’ s meeting with Edgar Snow;  March 12, 1965, Chinese public Statement;  April 2, 1965, Zhou ’ s meeting with Pakistani president Ayub Khan, asking him to transmit message to US;  May 28, 1965, Zhou ’ s meeting with Indonesian 1 st PM Subandrio;  May 31, 1965, Chen Yi ’ s meeting with Br. Charge ’ d Affair Hopson;  March 16, 1966, 129 th Warsaw Talk.

Beijing ’ s Warning Message Chen Yi to Br. Charge ’ d ’ affair  China will not provoke war with the US;  China will honor what it has said;  China is prepared;  If the US bombs China, that means bringing the war to China.

Reflections  Public statement is not only or effective communicating way;  Long-term & stable communicating institution;  Reliable messenger;  Explicit discourse and wording;  Interpreting information from perspective of reality, not from ideology.

Features in Chinese-Vietnamese Cooperation in the Vietnam War  Vietnamese Communists did not let the Chinese interfere in decision making;  Vietnamese would fight the war with their own forces, China ’ s main role would be to guarantee logistical support;  Unless the American land forces directly invaded the North, Chinese land forces would not be used in operation in Vietnam.

Forms of China ’ s Aid to North Vietnam 1965 – 1969  The dispatch of Chinese Engineering Troops;  The use of Chinese Antiaircraft Artillery Troops;  Military & Material Support to Vietnam.

Widening Gap between Beijing & Hanoi, 1966 – 1969  Different motivations;  Relationship between Chinese & local Vietnamese;  More support from Moscow since 1964;  Hanoi ’ s deep involvement in other parts of Indochina, esp. in Laos;  Change of China ’ s domestic politics;  Hanoi ’ s decision to negotiate with the US;