Why was there a war in Vietnam?
How the Vietnam-Soviet Relationship Began
Originally the Soviets and the VCP (Vietnamese Communist Party) didn’t get along and had a very strained relationship. Mostly because they didn’t help against the French, didn’t recognize North Vietnam for 5 years and they didn’t support Vietnams attempt to join the UN. Vietnam felt betrayed and neglected.
The partnership began after the Sino-Soviet split in 1950; the soviets sent military help to Hanoi in 1965 and made the Second Indochina War possible. Hanoi still didn’t trust them.
After the defeat of South Vietnam Hanoi tried to retain the wartime relations with both China and the Soviets. Due to mounting tensions with Beijing that relationship failed. Hanoi tried for military and economic relations from the Soviets and failed until they formed an alliance in 1975. They wrote and economic development plan and the Soviets helped Vietnam join Comecon ( facilitated economic help between communist countries)
The partnership began after the Sino-Soviet split in 1950; the soviets sent military help to Hanoi in 1965 and made the Second Indochina War possible. Hanoi still didn’t trust them.
After the defeat of South Vietnam Hanoi tried to retain the wartime relations with both China and the Soviets. Due to mounting tensions with Beijing that relationship failed. Hanoi tried for military and economic relations from the Soviets and failed until they formed an alliance in 1975. They wrote and economic development plan and the Soviets helped Vietnam join Comecon ( facilitated economic help between communist countries)
The Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation
In November of 1978 the Soviets and Vietnam decided to finally form an agreement. They got together and formed a treaty named the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. The idea was that Vietnam would get military help in Cambodia and the Soviets got access to facilities to Da Nang, Cam Ranh Bay (both were Vietnamese air bases’). The Soviets signed because they desperately needed access to water because their naval bases were limited to the Soviet Far East.
The Soviets continued to help the Vietnamese in Cambodia. All the military aid in 1978 was about $800 million American dollars, but after the Chinese attack in February 1979 the amount rose to $1.4 billion American dollars.
The Soviets continued to help the Vietnamese in Cambodia. All the military aid in 1978 was about $800 million American dollars, but after the Chinese attack in February 1979 the amount rose to $1.4 billion American dollars.
The Economic Burden
Slowly but surely the Soviets began to feel a giant burden put on their shoulder buy Vietnam. They were supplying them with billions of dollars for plans that all fell though due to incompetent plans. They reduced the aid. The Vietnamese were highly offended with Moscow’s opinion to reduce the aid and faced many economic hardships. Even in the mid-eighties when Vietnam’s economic situation took a turn for the worse the Soviets still refused to take the rate back to how it was before.
America's involvement in Vietnam ended in 1973. The war had cost one billion dollars a day at its peak, dropped 7 million tons of bombs(more than the entire total of all participants in World War Two). The cost of the war in 1968 alone was $88,000 million while the combined spending on education, health and housing in that year was $24,000 million.
America's involvement in Vietnam ended in 1973. The war had cost one billion dollars a day at its peak, dropped 7 million tons of bombs(more than the entire total of all participants in World War Two). The cost of the war in 1968 alone was $88,000 million while the combined spending on education, health and housing in that year was $24,000 million.
