Question by Rob: Why did Vietnamese use Soviet weapons during the Vietnam war?
I know Vietnamese used stuff like the AK-47, that’s Soviet made. Why did Vietnamese use only Soviet weapons? Were there no Vietnamese weapons or were there?
And were there Soviets actually fighting side by side with Vietnamese against the Americans?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Alex H
The Russian communists funded China, who in part helped the NVA and VC. We did the same thing to Russia when it invaded Afghanistan, the Taliban we now fight today we created to fight the proxy war in Afghanistan for us, which led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
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Walter B says
The "National Liberation Force of Southern Vietnam" (NLF) or what some people mistakenly call the Viet Cong ( a shortened slang for Vietnamese Communist which less than 4% of the NLF members were) INITIALLY used US weapons from WW-2 (when the Viet Minh were armed and trained by the US) or US weapons that were given to the French during the First Indochina War (War of Liberation 1947-1954) under the "Marshall Plan then, from 1960 used US weapons captured from the "Armed Forces of South Vietnam" (ARVN). They also made "improvised weapons" from whatever they could find. It was not until late 1963 that Soviet weapons (made in Soviet Block countries and in China) started to appear in the hands of the NLF.
The "Peoples Army of Vietnam" (PAV) who are mistakenly called the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) were armed by the Soviet Union. PAV soldiers only started to appear in Southern Vietnam from late 1965 onwards.
No, the Soviets and the Chinese did not fight alongside the PAV or the NLF. There were some Soviet advisors in Northern Vietnam giving initial training with new equipment.
bonsai says
The Vietnam war was never about the Vietnamese, it was a political game for the USA and the USSR, with no sense and purpose.
The South used USA weapons, the North used Soviet weapons.
Nothing has changed, be it Iraq/Iran, or Afghanistan/Pakistan, or India/Pakistan, North and South Korea, most of Africa, Philipinnes, the list is long.
The USA as the biggest legal and illegal weapons supplier in the world has a business interest to keep the wars coming.
Someone somewhere! says
It was a proxy war between the superpowers, USA and USSR at the time. Vietnam has never made weapons, still doesn't. In the VN war, both sides used whatever weapons their "sponsors" gave.
PSC says
because the soviets supplied the vietnamese with weapons and no the soviets never fought side by side with the viets
Lionel Hutz says
The Viet Cong and North Vietnamese were being aided and supported by the Soviets and Chinese Communists. That is why.
The Soviets sent advisers but not combat troops.
Buckeye Bill says
The gooks used what was given to them otherwise they would have used sticks and stones———have a great day
USNS says
The Soviets supported the North Vietnamese cause, and naturally, supplied them with weapons to aid them.
Mark F says
The NVA used equipment sourced from China & North Korea (much of it captured from the U.N. forces during the 1950-53 war) as well as the Soviet Union. The V.C. like any guerilla force used what they could get, when they could get it including French, Japanese and even German WWII leftovers. Being communists it is not exactly a shocker to imagine they would seek other communist nations to provide support.
jeriuana says
because North Vietnam was supported by the Soviets, who provided them with supplies and arms to carry on their war against us.
The vietnamese had their own weapons but opted not to use them because sticks and rocks don't hold up very well against an M-16.
don s says
They used them because the only place they could buy them was from Russia and China
Gary D2 says
Vietnamese used the jungle as their weapons along with Soviet AK-47s. And no. The Soviets didn't fight side by side with the Vietnamese. They just provided training and weapons.
Porto man says
The Russians gave the North Vietnamese army and Vietcong guerilla troops their weapons because they have more advanced and dangerous weapons. The Vietnamese never saw a killer weapon like the AK – 47. The AK was very useful becuase it was easy to use, and it was durable. The Soviets gave them the weapons to keep them communist.
The Soviets didn't fight with them, they just gave supplies, weapons, and money to them in hopes that they would kick out the U.S. troops, and it worked.
R says
@ Molkey
Sure…just like it was Korean pilots who flew against US pilots over MiG Alley?
molkey says
Soviet and Chinese, only advisers, not in Combat.