Question

Why do most non-Chinese people believe the Vietnamese won the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War?

The Sino-Vietnamese War was a border war fought between China and Vietnam in early 1979. China launched an offensive in response to Vietnam's actions against the Khmer Rouge in 1978, which ended the rule of the Chinese-backed Khmer Rouge. Both China and Vietnam claimed victory in the last of the Indochina Wars.

Answer 1

Both sides claimed victory for their own good. As a Chinese, I just share some thoughts on why we think we won (and I don’t really care what Vietnames think of it).

China invaded Vietnam mainly for two reason: on one hand, to demolish Vietnam as an aggressive threat; on the other, to prove to the US that China had set the mind to be a partner to tackle with the Soviet, who had not been a friend for a while and aiding Vietnam as well at the time, and in return to get some investment from the capitalist world.

As a result, although China cost more than expected and Chinese military leaders were surprised by that more or less , Vietnamese economy had been successfully destroyed and not a threat to China any more — all Vietnamese infrastructures and factories in the northern cities were destroyed and some taken to China. After that, China’s FDI from the US and her partners increased.

Edit: Vague descriptions revised.

Answer 2

Without the sino-vietnam war, the industrialization of Vietnam would come 30 years earlier. today’s Vietnam would be more like South Korea, but with 100 million people. As the year of 2019 , China still feel a little pressure that a lot of factories are moving to Vietnam. Imagine this 100 million people had competed the labor intensive jobs with Chinese people around 2000. today’s China would be seriously affected.

This is just a minor point. Actually the sino-vietnam war are closely linked to the geopolitical collapse of Soviet union and its final death. China earned the precious time for economic development and industrialization. etc.

when we look back from 40 years later at the situation of the two countries, who is the winner is very clear.

Answer 3

Because China was the aggressor fighting an unjust war to “punish” Vietnam for toppling the evil Pol Pot regime. Even if China destroyed Vietnam utterly, China will always be the loser of that war in the international stage.

It was a bullying tactic that backfired, not only because China failed in their invasion, but because it only made every single country around China distrust it even more than they already do. China thought it would make them look strong. Instead it only made them look evil. It was morally unjustifiable.

Pol Pot was evil incarnate. For China to defend an insane murderous leader like that only showed the world what kind of principles China stands for.

People died because Chinese leadership wanted to “teach” Vietnam and the USSR a “lesson”. Even more people died because China protected the Khmer Rouge. And people are still dying in North Korea.

Answer 4

Why do most non-Chinese people believe Vietnamese that won the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War? Because people are stubborn. PLA go all the way to Hanoi (at the gate), if Deng Xiaoping just ordered a massacre or something (like the American Vietnam War) then the whole perspective will be different. It's like Saddam Hussein claimed victory after first Gulf War because the Allied fail to go all the way to Baghdad, but the goal of Allied not go in there, and that's why George W. Bush picked up where his father left off and finish the job (for no apparent reason but to kill the guy). If it wasn't the second Gulf War, you would ask why most people believe Iraq won the 1991 Gulf War?

Saddam claims victory in Gulf War - CNN

Answer 5

Because US lost Vietnam war, so it is hard for them to admit China can beat Vietnam. They seek every piece of evidence to support their argument. The reality was China was smart enough to rule out whatever US failed to achieve before even start the war. If United States did not want to risk a conflict with USSR, why should China take that risk? so yes, China didn’t smash Vietnam like a potato. If you call that a failure, they failed. Chinese soldiers were not bullet proof and Chinese generals were not Napoleon in Egypt, so they must have lost.

Answer 6

China just use Vietnam to train its troops.

The main reasons why non Chinese believe China did not win is because the US lost and they have an inferior complex about it.

So Vietnam won against China and a Mongol scouting expendition force? What a joke. The Song resist Mongol for 80 years. The truth is, Vietnam doesnt have any value in the past so it just an attack or so. So much for nationalist. By that account then the Chinese have won thousands of uncountable battles already (laugh)