In 1979, a conflict occurred between Vietnam and China. The Vietnam War began on February 17, when the Chinese People's Liberation Army invaded the enemy’s northern provinces.
What caused the conflict?
China was not interested in having a strong state near its borders. In addition, Vietnam collaborated with the USSR, with which China was in tense relations. A specific factor in the growing conflict was the events of 1975 in Cambodia. Then the Khmer Rouge came to power, the leader of which was Pol Pot. Their only foreign policy ally was China. They began to arrange border provocations in Vietnam. As a result, Vietnam concluded an agreement with the USSR on cooperation and friendship and began an intervention in Cambodia, as a result of which Pol Pot was overthrown and Heng Samrin came to power, ready to cooperate with Vietnam.
China was concerned about this, as the influence of neighboring states oriented toward the USSR was growing. This was one of the main reasons why the Vietnam War began. In 1978, several agreements were concluded between Vietnam and the USSR, according to which the Russians received the right to create air and naval bases in this country. As a result of the strengthening of Vietnam, this state has a number of claims regarding the Vietnam-China border (in particular, claims regarding the demarcation of the Gulf of Tonkin).
Vietnam occupied some Chinese islands and filed territorial claims against a number of others. In violation of the agreements reached, Vietnam launched a campaign to “squeeze out” the Chinese from Vietnamese territory. As a result, the latter had to flee the country to other neighboring states.
Vietnamese troops were brought into Cambodia to overthrow the Khmer Rouge government. On the border with China, provocations from Vietnam constantly took place.
Then, in February 1979, the Chinese Foreign Ministry demanded an end to the provocations, but this was ignored. Since December 1978, the military districts bordering Mongolia and the USSR were put on high alert in the PRC.
Hostilities
At 4 hours on 02.17.1979, Chinese troops launched an offensive, the Sino-Vietnamese war began. Chinese troops included 44 divisions, the total number of which was 600 thousand people. However, only 250 thousand people invaded Vietnam. The Vietnamese People’s Army (VNA) opposed them 100 thousand.
The Vietnam War took place in several directions. The main ones are Kaoban, Laokai and Langshon. Within 3 days, Chinese troops captured the provincial center of Laokai and advanced through the territory of Vietnam to 15 kilometers inland. Subsequently, the rate of invasion decreased significantly. It was only at the cost of heavy losses that the Kaobang provincial center was captured. The Vietnam War continued, on March 4 Langshon was captured. As a result, general mobilization was declared in Vietnam. However, on March 5, China announced the withdrawal of its troops on March 16.
War Results
Losses of the parties amounted to approximately 20 thousand people. Both opponents declared victory. Vietnam was guided in its arguments by the fact that it inflicted heavy losses and successfully repelled the aggression of China. The second side indicated that it had achieved partial success in its campaign, namely, in a short time it had captured a significant territory of Vietnam, inflicted heavy losses and heavy economic damage on the enemy.
The Vietnam War revealed the backwardness of the Chinese forces, poor training of the command staff, the lack of modern weapons, low mobility of the units, as well as some shortcomings of the VNA - inept command and weak defense in the most important areas.