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Bigfella · 02-01-2007, 20:52 PM

The shadow of America's involvment in Korea hung long over Vietnam. Korea was, by its conclusion, very unpopular with the American public. No American President wanted America to be dragged into another land war in Asia.

The evidence on China's intentions is inconclusive. Further research will no doubt clarify the issue in future years, but even then it is simply impossible to know how China might have responded to a large American army appearing on another border only a dozen or so years after Korea.

China certainly spent the mid-60s constructing military infrastructure (airfields, bases, rail lines) in the south. If the PLAAF didn't engage the USAF directly, it certainly assisted the Vietnamese in doing so. There were also several hundred thousand Chinese regulars who served in Vietnam during the war, though none in combat roles (except perhaps some AA units & unit advisors).

What is important here is: did America have good reason to believe China might intervene? The answer is Yes. That America would have beaten the DRV & PLA is not relevant. That victory would have come at a very heavy price. Keep in mind that even before the Tet Offensive, with less than 30,000 US dead, opposition to the war was already in the 40% range & rising steadily.

Even without Chinese intervention, invading the North would have cost tens of thousands of US lives. Throw in China and the figures just keep going up. Worse, China could just keep funnelling irregulars over the border in their thousands almost indefinately. Once Mao had used the Red Guards to regain power they became a bit of an embarrassment. Why not give them a bit of training, arm them & send them to die in Vietnam? No match for US troops, but capable of doing enough damage to make the war VERY unpopular at home.

And for what? America's Vietnamese allies couldn't even govern the South, where they had most support. If you think the VC & DRV fought hard in the South, imagine how much harder they would have fought in an area with much more support, and where they had already beaten the French? US dead & wounded would have been vastly higher, and the war much less popular much more quickly. US Administrations knew this. Invading the North was never an option.

02-01-2007, 20:52 PM	#24 (permalink)
Bigfella *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 01-12-07 Location: Melbourne Posts: 949 Country:	China & Vietnam The shadow of America's involvment in Korea hung long over Vietnam. Korea was, by its conclusion, very unpopular with the American public. No American President wanted America to be dragged into another land war in Asia. The evidence on China's intentions is inconclusive. Further research will no doubt clarify the issue in future years, but even then it is simply impossible to know how China might have responded to a large American army appearing on another border only a dozen or so years after Korea. China certainly spent the mid-60s constructing military infrastructure (airfields, bases, rail lines) in the south. If the PLAAF didn't engage the USAF directly, it certainly assisted the Vietnamese in doing so. There were also several hundred thousand Chinese regulars who served in Vietnam during the war, though none in combat roles (except perhaps some AA units & unit advisors). What is important here is: did America have good reason to believe China might intervene? The answer is Yes. That America would have beaten the DRV & PLA is not relevant. That victory would have come at a very heavy price. Keep in mind that even before the Tet Offensive, with less than 30,000 US dead, opposition to the war was already in the 40% range & rising steadily. Even without Chinese intervention, invading the North would have cost tens of thousands of US lives. Throw in China and the figures just keep going up. Worse, China could just keep funnelling irregulars over the border in their thousands almost indefinately. Once Mao had used the Red Guards to regain power they became a bit of an embarrassment. Why not give them a bit of training, arm them & send them to die in Vietnam? No match for US troops, but capable of doing enough damage to make the war VERY unpopular at home. And for what? America's Vietnamese allies couldn't even govern the South, where they had most support. If you think the VC & DRV fought hard in the South, imagine how much harder they would have fought in an area with much more support, and where they had already beaten the French? US dead & wounded would have been vastly higher, and the war much less popular much more quickly. US Administrations knew this. Invading the North was never an option.