Recent Changes in Vietnam's Politico - Military Relations with USSR and PRC

Abstract

1) The Hanoi-Moscow relationship is a product of Vietnamese dependence since Hanoi is on the socialist world dole; and of percoived Soviet strategic opportunity, symbolized by Cam Ranh Bay as a Soviet naval facility. Historically, the relationship is not well grounded. The Vietnamese do not have much confidence in the USSR and Soviet national interests may turn it away from Vietnam. The subliminal level particularly lacks harmony, an all important factor in Asia, and which has great lnog range meaning. What fixes the relationship for both, in different ways, is China. We should bear in mind that since things have never gone particularly well for the USSR in Asia, Vietnam is additionally important to it, representing a test of policy success.