Lai, Benjamin Hegemony in the South China Seas

Sino-Vietnam Sea Battles, 1974-1988

A volume from the series Asia @ War. The battle of 1974 was fought between the crumbling regime of the Republic of Vietnam, better known as South Vietnam, in the final stages of the Vietnam War. The battle ended in an overwhelming victory for China and left bitter memories for many Vietnamese, especially those who went into exile in the West after the collapse of South Vietnam. This battle was significant because it was Mao China's first naval battle. The second naval battle, this time between the socialist brothers Vietnam and China, took place in 1979. In this battle, three Vietnamese armed ships were captured and China's dominance in the Xisha/Paracel Islands area was secured. A third confrontation took place in 1988 and ended with another Chinese victory, which clouded relations between the two socialist nations for many years. Although these battles ended in victory for the Chinese, they did not bring peace, and disputes over the South China Sea continue to make headlines today. This book serves as an introduction to the current tensions in the South China Sea, describes the history of the conflict, and includes a timeline of events to help readers understand current events and their impact on modern power politics, particularly between China and the US.