If Vietnam-China Showdown Turns Hot, Here’s How It Could Go Down

War is Boring ^ | May 22, 2014 | Kyle Mizokami

[C19fan]

One of the oldest rivalries on the planet has flared up again, and it’s all because of where China placed an oil rig in the South China Sea.

The location of an oil rig might not seem like enough to start a war. But the two countries are in an aggressive standoff that—given the politics of the region and the shared history between the two countries—has the potential to turn violent.

But to understand what could happen next, it’s important to look at the history of conflict between China and Vietnam, and the military forces both sides have at their disposal.

[C19fan]

As a American the 1979 War between China and Vietnam was a bit of a shock because the two seemed BFF during the Vietnam War and both were Communist Countries. Both are nominally Communist but it seems once again blood is more important than Marx.

[ßuddaßudd]

imho,, i believe the Viets are more Chinese than they want to admit,,,

[Gay State Conservative]

The Chinese,unlike us,will not fight with one hand behind its back.

[Dr. Thorne]

There is animosity between the Vietnamese and Chinese that goes back far beyond the Vietnam War and Communism. Wouldn’t it be weird if we ended up supporting Vietnam in this conflict?

[C19fan]

We get hunged over a few thousand KIA in a few years overseas. The ChiComs lost almost 10,000 or perhaps more in a month when they attacked Vietnam.

[null and void]

Yeah. That would be as silly as supporting Afghanistan over the Soviet Union....

[Zhang Fei]

Both are nominally Communist

Both are dictatorships, but communist in name only, given widespread private ownership of capital. This is why China's per capita output is over 4x India's, and Vietnam's is about 33% larger than India's.

[Zhang Fei]

Yeah. That would be as silly as supporting Afghanistan over the Soviet Union....

Or supporting Bolshevik Russia against Nazi Germany.

[null and void]

Yup. Politics really is the mother of strange bedfellows...

[G Larry]

China needs only drop the same tonnage of bowling balls, as the U.S. dropped bombs on Vietnam.

You see bombs only stir up the dirt, which is quickly relandscaped back into roads.

But Bowling Balls!!....That’s the ticket.

They’re almost impossible to move efficiently, and there’s no place to put them.

[Jack Hammer]

These two have been at each others’ throats periodically for thousands of years.

And it’s clear that to Marxist nations, as to all others, when money talks, bullsh*t walks.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

imho,, i believe the Viets are more Chinese than they want to admit,,,

They sure look more Chinese than the indigenous Montagnards they drove up into the mountains.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Wouldn’t it be weird if we ended up supporting Vietnam in this conflict?

Yeah - that will happen. Follow the money. We've been avoiding closer ties with Vietnam ver the past decade for just this reason.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Vietnam will back down—They do not want to get into a real shooting match with China. China, if stalled would go nuclear and turn Vietnam into a state without cities. Russia will not fight for Vietnam—Nor will the USA or India.

[Intolerant in NJ]

As a American the 1979 War between China and Vietnam was a bit of a shock because the two seemed BFF during the Vietnam War...the lefties in this country talk so smugly these days about how everyone who visits Vietnam is impressed by how friendly the Vietnamese are to Americans now - to them it vindicates the way we threw the war away because Vietnam has still come around to being a friend - now we see why - they're threatened by their former fellow-traveler and may have to come looking for help from us in the future - surely it is said - he who rides on the back of the tiger will one day end up in the tiger's stomach.....

[fortheDeclaration]

My money is on Vietnam.