The Sino-Vietnamese War (also known by other names) was a brief conflict that occurred in early 1979 between China and Vietnam. China launched an offensive ostensibly in response to Vietnam's invasion and occupation of Cambodia in 1978, which ended the rule of the Chinese-backed Khmer Rouge. The conflict lasted for about a month, with China withdrawing its troops in March 1979.
| This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2017) |
Quick Facts Date, Location ...
Sino-Vietnamese War |
---|
Part of the Third Indochina War, the Sino-Soviet split and the Cold War |
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/Vietnam_china.jpg/220px-Vietnam_china.jpg) Map of Vietnamese cities that were attacked by China |
Date | 17 February – 16 March 1979 (3 weeks and 6 days) |
---|
Location | |
---|
Result |
Status quo ante bellum; both sides claim victory
|
---|
|
Belligerents |
---|
China |
Vietnam |
Commanders and leaders |
---|
|
|
Strength |
---|
- Chinese claim:
- 200,000 soldiers[6]
- 400–550 tanks[6] and 60 APCs[7]
- Vietnamese claim:
- 600,000 soldiers
|
- 70,000–100,000 soldiers
- 150,000 irregulars and militia[9]
|
Casualties and losses |
---|
- Chinese estimate:
- 6,954 killed
- 14,800–21,000 wounded
- 238 captured[6][10][11]
- 76 tanks/APCs destroyed, 533 damaged[7]
- Vietnamese estimate:
- 62,000 casualties, including 48,000 deaths[12][13][14][15]
- 420 tanks/APCs destroyed[16]
66 heavy mortars and guns destroyed[16]
- Western estimate:
- 26,000 killed
- 37,000 wounded
- 260 captured[17]
|
- Chinese estimate:
- 42,000[13]–57,000 soldiers killed
- 70,000 militia killed[10]
- 1,636 captured[14][15]
- 185 tanks/APCs destroyed[16]
- 200 heavy mortars and guns destroyed[16]
- 6 missile launchers destroyed[16]
- Western estimate:
- 30,000 killed
- 32,000 wounded
- 1,638 captured[11]
|
Close
Quick Facts Chinese name, Simplified Chinese ...
Close
In February 1979, Chinese forces launched a surprise invasion of northern Vietnam and quickly captured several cities near the border. On 6 March of that year, China declared that its punitive mission had been accomplished. Chinese troops then withdrew from Vietnam. However, Vietnam continued to occupy Cambodia until 1989, which means that China did not achieve its goal of dissuading Vietnam from involvement in Cambodia. However, China's operation at least successfully forced Vietnam to withdraw some units, namely the 2nd Corps, from the invasion forces of Cambodia to reinforce the defense of Hanoi.[18] The conflict had a lasting impact on the relationship between China and Vietnam, and diplomatic relations between the two countries were not fully restored until 1991. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Sino-Vietnamese border was finalized. Although unable to deter Vietnam from ousting Pol Pot from Cambodia, China demonstrated that the Soviet Union, its Cold War communist adversary, was unable to protect its Vietnamese ally.[19]