ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the proximate causes of the conflict, highlighting Chinas view of its role in Southeast Asia, Vietnam's 1978 invasion of Cambodia, the strategic realignment of the major powers, the position of overseas Chinese in Vietnam, and bilateral territorial disputes. It examines the conduct of the campaign itself, including Chinese military preparations for the attack and Vietnamese views of People's Liberation Army (PLA) operations. The chapter discusses the outcome of the conflict, both politically and militarily. According to senior Vietnamese officials, in 1975 Beijing saw a united and confident Vietnam as a potential long-term obstacle to its exercise of influence over Southeast Asia. The chapter explores psychological dimensions of Sino-Vietnamese relations and their implications for the future. It discusses basic understanding of the background to the conflict, including Vietnam's wars against the French from 1946 to 1954, the Americans from 1959 to 1975, and the Khmer Rouge from December 1978 to 1989.
