Historically, the relationship between the two neighbors, Vietnam and China, has been complex and volatile. As early as the fifties and sixties of the last century, the red trend in Vietnam rose, and soon it fell into a war with the United States that lasted for more than ten years. After the withdrawal of the US military, Vietnam turned to war with its former ally China, and although this war was not long, there were many things worth pondering. In particular, after the war, China's propaganda of psychological warfare made Vietnam's deputy chief of general staff sigh: "China's psychological warfare has intensified Vietnam's internal contradictions." What the hell is going on? Let's find out.
In the 50s of the last century, the world pattern was turbulent, and Vietnam was no exception. Shortly after World War II, the establishment of the Red Regime in Vietnam marked the rise of communism. However, Vietnam was soon divided into two major powers, the North and the South, and the confrontation between the North and the South became a major problem in Vietnam.
The 17th parallel became the dividing line between North and South Vietnam, and the United States, in order to curb the spread of communism, began to install a puppet regime in South Vietnam in an attempt to eliminate the communist forces in Vietnam itself. Due to the limited military power of the South Vietnamese regime, the United States had to intervene directly, which became the Vietnam War. The war lasted more than a decade, and the U.S. military ultimately failed to achieve its strategic goals, but instead accelerated the reunification of Vietnam.
After the reunification of Vietnam, the years of peace could have been enjoyed, but the wheel of history did not stop. In 1979, war broke out between Vietnam and China, a former ally. The war, though short-lived, was dramatic, as Vietnam played the role of provocateur in this war.
After the end of the war, China did not choose to use force to move further into Vietnam, but instead resorted to a more subtle tactic – psychological warfare propaganda. Psychological warfare is not a new thing in military tactics, as early as ancient times there was an allusion to "embattled" to take advantage of the enemy's psychological weaknesses to achieve the goal of defeating the opponent. The United States also made extensive use of psychological warfare during the Vietnam War, including the broadcast of "ghost sounds," a psychological attack weapon, in an attempt to bring down Vietnamese soldiers.
China's psychological warfare propaganda seems to be more precise and effective. China was well versed in Vietnam's culture and social psychology, and after the war, it disseminated information through various channels, not only to weaken Vietnam's military morale, but also to sow the seeds of contradictions within Vietnamese society. For example, Chinese media highlights Vietnam's provocative behavior and the economic and social toll of the war on Vietnam have raised questions about their government.
The cleverness of this strategy lies in the fact that it does not have a direct military confrontation, but achieves a long-term strategic effect by influencing the hearts and minds of the people. The exclamation of the Vietnamese Deputy Chief of the General Staff is a manifestation of the effect of this strategy. He pointed out that China's propaganda of psychological warfare not only deepens Vietnam's internal contradictions, but may also affect Vietnam's national stability.
The impact of psychological warfare propaganda is far-reaching, and it can subtly change the social structure and people's mentality of a country. In Vietnam, this propaganda exacerbated the pre-existing rift between North and South Vietnam, complicating the process of national reunification. On the one hand, the Vietnamese government needs to deal with relations with China, and on the other hand, it has to deal with domestic discontent and separatist voices.
In conducting psychological warfare propaganda, China uses a variety of methods, including radio, newspapers, and even the distribution of pamphlets, which are traditional psychological warfare tools. But China's approach focuses more on cultural and historical resonance than the psychological warfare used by the United States in the Vietnam War, which makes its propaganda more accessible to the Vietnamese people.
Vietnam's internal contradictions will not be resolved overnight. China's psycho-warfare propaganda merely exposes these contradictions, which in fact have their roots in Vietnam's long-standing political and economic problems. The challenge facing the Vietnamese government is how to maintain stability and unity in the country under the dual pressures of maintaining national independence and developing the economy.
Relations between China and Vietnam are also changing after a brief war in 1979. Both countries are trying to repair the rifts caused by the war, while also seeking cooperation in the economic and political spheres. This complex background of international relations has added more uncertainties and challenges to the handling of internal contradictions in Vietnam.
Against such a historical and international background, how to adjust Vietnam's domestic and foreign policies, properly handle its relations with China, and balance various domestic forces at the same time is a major problem facing Vietnam. This will not only concern Vietnam as a country, but will also have a far-reaching impact on the stability and development of the entire Southeast Asian region.
Looking back at the complicated history of Vietnam and China, it is not difficult to see that the power of psychological warfare propaganda should not be underestimated. It indirectly changes the political direction of a country by influencing people's thoughts and emotions. The lament of the Vietnamese deputy chief of the general staff is not only a summary of the aftermath of the war, but also an early warning of future challenges. In the international arena, psychological warfare is just as important as actual combat, and together they shape the destiny of the country. How to correctly understand and deal with these non-traditional means of warfare is a severe test for every country.