[The content of this article is based on authoritative historical data, and there are citations at the end of the article, please be aware.] 】
In the rumored Sino-Vietnamese War, it is popular to say that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) was able to storm the Vietnamese capital Hanoi in just 28 days. However, years later, veterans of the war recalled the embattled and difficult scenes on the battlefield. Which of these two diametrically opposed descriptions is closer to the real face of war?
Today, let's delve into this history, unravel the fog surrounding this legend, and reveal the truth behind it and the complexities of the war.
1. The complex background of the war
During the Sino-Vietnamese War, while claims were widespread that the PLA could enter Hanoi in just 28 days, this claim ignored the true complexity and multiple challenges of the war. In fact, the PLA faced many difficulties in the war, and it was far less smooth than the simplified description of the outside world.
First of all, Vietnam's geography is extremely challenging. The northern part of Vietnam is mountainous and densely forested, which provides the Vietnamese army with a natural defensive advantage. In the process of advancing, the PLA not only has to deal with complex and changeable terrain, but also has to face tactical adjustments brought about by the terrain.
The steepness of the mountains and the shelter of the jungle make it difficult to carry out traditional large-scale military operations, often requiring a small-scale, flexible tactical response. Secondly, the guerrilla tactics employed by the Vietnamese army greatly increased the difficulty of the PLA in combat. The Vietnamese army is familiar with the local terrain and can quickly carry out transfers and ambushes in complex geographical environments.
This flexible and mobile tactic makes it difficult for the PLA to effectively locate enemy positions and deliver concentrated strikes. In many cases, the PLA has just cleared the enemy forces in one area, and the enemy will soon launch a surprise attack in another direction, resulting in the PLA having to disperse its forces to deal with threats coming from multiple directions.
In addition, the climatic conditions at that time also posed a considerable obstacle to the actions of the PLA. Vietnam's climate is changeable, especially during the rainy season, with continuous rainfall causing muddy roads, which seriously affects the mobility of vehicles and heavy equipment. Such weather conditions not only slowed down the movement of troops, but also increased the difficulty of logistical supply, further lengthened the battle line, and diluted the combat efficiency.
The PLA must also deal with the problem of material supplies. In the early days of the war, the front-line troops often faced a shortage of supplies due to long logistical supply lines and difficult transportation. The shortage of key supplies such as ammunition, food, and medical supplies has had a direct impact on the combat effectiveness and morale of soldiers.
At some critical moments, the lack of adequate support prevented the PLA from realizing its full combat potential and also affected the execution of tactics.
Second, the actual situation on the battlefield
During the Sino-Vietnamese War, the actual battlefield situation of the PLA in northern Vietnam was far more complex and difficult than expected before the war. In the course of the offensive, the PLA not only had to deal with complex and changeable terrain, but also faced the flexible guerrilla tactics adopted by the Vietnamese army. Combined, these factors slowed the war and was a far cry from the planned rapid tactical advance.
The Vietnamese army made full use of its deep knowledge of the native terrain by setting up ambushes in jungles and mountains to carry out surprise attacks and ambushes, a tactic that was common in warfare. When the PLA advances in the mountains, it is often met with sudden fire from concealed positions.
The use of this tactic has greatly weakened the offensive motivation of the PLA, because even if a certain position is occupied, it is difficult to ensure the long-term security of the area, and it is necessary to constantly carry out defensive and clearance operations.
The small, fast-moving units of the Vietnamese army also set up a large number of mines and traps in the jungle, which not only posed a direct threat to the infantry of the PLA, but also posed a huge hidden danger to armored vehicles.
In the narrow environment of jungles and mountain roads, if an armored vehicle is injured by a mine or gets bogged down in a quagmire, the movement of the entire force is forced to slow down drastically or even to a complete standstill.
In the process of advancing the PLA, the Vietnamese army not only physically blocked it, but also used psychological tactics that could not be ignored. The Vietnamese army often used the darkness of night to launch surprise attacks, and this way of fighting day and night seriously depleted the physical strength and spirit of the PLA soldiers. In addition, the Vietnamese army uses loudspeakers for psychological propaganda in an attempt to sway the will of PLA soldiers.
In addition to casualties, the PLA also faces huge challenges in terms of equipment attrition. In warfare, not only light weapons are consumed, but heavy equipment such as tanks and artillery are often damaged by the terrain and the impact of enemy ambushes. The repair and replacement of this equipment also requires a lot of logistical support, which is extremely difficult on the battlefield.
In addition, the Vietnamese army carefully chose the timing and location of the fighting, often in areas and times when the PLA least wanted to fight, such as on important supply routes or during major festivals and bad weather. The application of this strategy has made it difficult for the PLA to exert its due combat effectiveness, although it has an advantage in numbers and equipment.
3. Difficulties in supply lines and communications
During the Sino-Vietnamese War, the PLA not only encountered difficulties in the execution of tactics, but also had serious problems in logistics and communications, which seriously affected the continuity and efficiency of the fighting. The problem of logistical supply lines is particularly prominent, which directly affects the combat capability of front-line troops.
First of all, the supply lines of the PLA have been greatly challenged. Due to the constraints of the terrain and the interference of enemy forces, supply lines are often attacked, making it difficult for essential items such as food, ammunition and medical supplies to reach the front line in a timely manner. This situation is exacerbated during the rainy season, when the roads are muddy and supply vehicles are difficult to access due to the constant rainfall.
In addition, the Vietnamese army has also carried out extremely frequent sabotage activities on the PLA's supply lines, not only setting up ambushes to sabotage supply convoys, but also often blowing up roads or bridges, further extending the supply cycle. In terms of communications, the PLA has also encountered a number of technical and environmental obstacles. Due to the complex terrain, communication equipment is often interfered with, and signal transmission is unstable.
At some critical moments, front-line troops are unable to get in touch with the command center in time and cannot obtain real-time battlefield information or adjust instructions, which directly affects the coordination and efficiency of the battle. The problem is also exacerbated by the Vietnamese military's electronic warfare tactics, which use electronic jamming devices to disrupt the PLA's communications system, making command and control more difficult.
The PLA's material shortages are not limited to daily ammunition and food, but also include vital medical resources. In front-line conditions, medical facilities and supplies are extremely limited, which seriously affects the treatment and rehabilitation of wounded and sick soldiers.
In many cases, the condition of the minor injured person deteriorates because they cannot receive timely and effective treatment; However, due to the lack of necessary surgical equipment and medicines, the success rate of treatment for seriously injured patients is not high.
The experience of the PLA during the war not only shows their tenacity and perseverance in military operations, but also reveals the importance of logistics support and communication liaison in modern warfare. The inadequacy of material supply and communication support has limited the troops' operational capability and combat efficiency to a certain extent, and this is a major challenge that the PLA must face in the war.
As the war progressed, the PLA gradually made improvements in logistics and communications, but the impact of these problems on the fighting in the early days of the war was far-reaching. Through continuous practice and adjustment, the PLA began to pay more attention to the protection of logistics lines and the upgrading and reinforcement of communications equipment, trying to reduce the impact of environmental factors and enemy interference on the battle.
The experience accumulated in this process has important guiding significance for subsequent military operations and has played a key role in improving the overall combat capability.
4. Memories of veterans and the cruelty of war
In the Sino-Vietnamese War, the veterans who participated in the war experienced countless bloody battles and hardships, which were the concrete embodiment of the cruel reality of the war. The PLA has been engaged in fierce encounters with the Vietnamese army on the battlefield, facing not only physical extreme challenges, but also difficulties in the execution of tactics.
These combat experiences, as challenging as they were, are an important perspective for understanding the complexities of the Sino-Vietnamese war. On the battlefield, confrontations between the PLA and the Vietnamese army often took place in extremely difficult conditions. In the jungles of Vietnam, for example, there are often heavy rains that continue during the rainy season, making the battlefield muddy.
In such an environment, both marching and setting up are extremely challenging, and troops must not only confront the enemy, but also deal with the extreme adverse conditions of the natural environment. During the battle, the Vietnamese army used the terrain to carry out ambushes and surprise attacks, which made it necessary for the PLA to be on high alert to threats from all sides.
In mountain warfare, the Vietnamese army took advantage of complex terrain, such as valleys and dense forests, to set up ambushes and mines, which greatly hindered the advance of the PLA. Fighting in this environment not only requires a strict choice of tactics, but also poses a high challenge to the physical strength and endurance of soldiers.
In many cases, even if the PLA is able to achieve victory at a certain tactical point, it will be difficult to sustain it for a long time, because the Vietnamese army will quickly adjust its strategy and launch another attack from other directions. During the advance of the PLA, although they constantly encountered strong resistance from the Vietnamese army, they also made active tactical adjustments.
For example, they began to adopt a more flexible form of small-scale commandos to adapt to the jungle warfare environment in Vietnam. Not only are these squads able to move faster, but they are also more likely to strike effectively at the enemy and retreat quickly, thus reducing their own casualties.
In addition, the PLA gradually accumulated knowledge of the Vietnamese terrain during the long battles and began to use the terrain and weather conditions more effectively. For example, during the rainy season, the PLA will use the continuous rain as a cover to launch surprise attacks to minimize direct head-to-head encounters.
Although this improvement in tactics has slowed down the course of the war to a certain extent, it has also improved the survivability and combat efficiency of the troops in continuous actual combat.
5. The importance of peace and the lessons of history
Through an in-depth analysis of the specific combat details of the Sino-Vietnamese War, the brutality and complexity of the war can be understood more comprehensively. In reflecting on war, we must take into account the profound impact of war on human society, economy and culture.
Although wars themselves are caused by political and military necessity, the results often go beyond their original intentions and impose long-term social trauma and economic burdens on the participating countries. In the Sino-Vietnamese War, although both sides had tactical victories, the damage and casualties caused by the war were enormous.
Farmland has been destroyed, villages have been burned, countless families have been shattered, and economic development has been hampered. After the end of the war, both Vietnam and China needed to invest significant resources to rebuild their post-war societies and restore their economies, which was a long and difficult process. For Viet Nam in particular, post-war reconstruction is particularly complex, as the country's infrastructure is badly damaged and many areas need to be completely rebuilt.
In this context, the lessons of the war are especially important. First, war taught nations and individuals the importance of valuing peace. The establishment of lasting peace requires not only political will, but also practical policy support, such as strengthening international cooperation and addressing economic inequality.
In addition, the war has shown the need for mutual trust and communication between nations. Conflict prevention through dialogue and diplomacy is an effective way to avoid the losses caused by war.
The war also highlighted the limits of military operations. In modern warfare, it is difficult to achieve lasting and comprehensive victory by military means alone, because real victory is not only victory on the battlefield, but also includes the realization of political goals, the restoration of social stability, and economic development. Therefore, it is important to take into account political, economic and cultural factors in strategic planning.
#头条创作挑战赛#
Resources:
CHEN Xiang. The Root Causes of the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979 from the Perspective of Analytic Hierarchy Process[J]. Journal of Honghe University,2014(6):5-8. DOI:10.3969/j.issn.1008-9128.2014.06.002.