According to official data, there are 54 nationalities in Vietnam. However, there are many more ethnic groups.
The ethnic composition of the country's inhabitants in numbers looks like this: 85.7% are Viet, 1.9% are Tai, 1.5% are Muong and Khmer, 2.13% are Miao-Yao, and 1.1% are Nung.
Other nationalities are represented in smaller numbers: these are the Chinese, Banaras, Sedangs, Hoa, Sre, Khrae, Mnongi, Sanziu, Santiai, Raglai, etc.
Official nationalities based on language are grouped into 8 groups: Vietnamese, Mon-Khmer, Chinese, Tibeto-Burman, Thai, Miao-Miao, Cham and peoples speaking the Kadai languages.
The mountain peoples of Vietnam are grouped as the mountain people or thoongs.
Religious preferences of the Vietnamese
Among the country's inhabitants there are Buddhists (only 9.3%), Catholics (6.7%), Hao-Khao (about 1.5%), Protestants (0.5%), and Cao Dai (1.1%).
The rest of the population is either atheists or adheres to popular beliefs. They are based on the ritual “tho kung to tien”. This is the cult of ancestors. This creed is not formalized and does not have a hierarchy of clergy. Since adherents of the cult of ancestors conduct their rituals in Buddhist temples, many mistakenly believe that about 80% of the country's population are Buddhists.
Economy of Vietnam
In the late 1980s, the economic crisis also affected Vietnam. Since 1986, reforms aimed at developing market relations have started in the country. At the same time, the guidelines of socialism were not removed. Moreover, the state controls private enterprise. Article 15 of the Constitution of Vietnam establishes at the state level the recognition of national, collective and private property in the country.
Reforms made Vietnam a leader among ASEAN members in 1995-1997. 30% of all capital investments in the state were investments from foreign companies. GDP increased by 8.9% annually.
In 1998-1999, the Asian financial crisis leads to a decrease in imports into the country and an increase in exports. Of course, foreign investment has also decreased.
Vietnam is characterized by very high property prices and low incomes. The purchasing power of the Vietnamese is low. Basically, the Vietnamese live poorly, poorly and in a dirty country. At the same time, they manage to maintain an average level of security in the country, which pleases visitors. The healthcare industry, compared to other Asian countries, is well developed.
According to data for 2015, GDP per capita has already amounted to 6,400.00 US dollars. The GDP growth rate is 6.10%. On average, Vietnamese earn about 7.5 million dong per month. The salary of the President in the country does not exceed the average salary of the Vietnamese.
The state uses natural resources to develop its economy: manganese, coal, timber, oil, gas, phosphates, bauxite, chromite, hydropower. The industrial sector employs 15% of the country's population. Everyone has heard about Vietnamese cell phones, office equipment and components for computers and household appliances.
The Vietnamese also sew clothes, shoes, are engaged in agriculture and shipbuilding. Agriculture employs about 52% of Vietnam's population, accounting for 21% of GDP. In the fields of the country we will see pepper, soybeans, cashews, bananas, peanuts, and sugar cane. The primacy in the country is held by rice, rubber, coffee, tea, and cotton. Income from tea production exceeds $150 million. The development of fishing and seafood processing is also gaining momentum.
Since tourism in Vietnam also tends to develop, the service sector requires its own reforms and effective steps. About 33% of the state's population is employed in this area.
Of the 400 days of travel, I spent 2 months in China and 2 weeks in Vietnam. You will say that it is not correct to compare 2 countries if you spent 4 times more time in one. And the countries differ significantly in size: such a big China and such a small narrow Vietnam. I came to Vietnam right after China and I really want to make such a comparison.
I liked 3 things most about China: responsive people in China, amazing nature in China and diverse Chinese food.
In Vietnam it is very tasty and beautiful nature, But people in Vietnam not all were very good.
On the eve of the New Year, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that Vietnam has one big advantage over China - it has hot tours to Vietnam! Here are the options: and
To begin with, I will show you what amazing sights there are in China and Vietnam.
Attractions in China
By the way, the best places in China: Wuyi Mountains in Fujian and Gulangyu Island, Lijiang and Dali in Sichuan, Guilin and Yangshuo in Guangxi, Guangzhou in Guangdong and Xian in Shaanxi. Chaozhou and Fenhuang in Guangdong are also worth visiting. The Taoist mountains of Wudanshan and Huashan are no less beautiful. In Sichuan, the colorful lakes of Jizhaigou are stunning.
Travertine Lakes JiZhaiGou
Guilin Mountains
Wuyi Mountains
Ancient city of Xi'an
Ancient tea city of Lijiang
Floating bridge in Chaozhou
Monk in Wudanshan Mountains
Huashan Mountains
Small village in Guangzhou
Attractions in Vietnam
Hoi An City
Cultural Capital of Vietnam
Hanoi Vietnam
Sea in Vietnam
Nha Trang sea
Beach in Vietnam
Border Vietnam - China
Mountains in Vietnam
Boat trips in Vietnam
People in China
Comparing China with Vietnam, I will start with the most important thing - the people. I will try to be as unbiased as possible, although it is impossible to judge my own experience objectively. Especially if it concerns people. Yes, Chinese crowds of tourists throughout China and the world in general can blur the impression of any attraction. But other than that, I really like the Chinese.
During 2 months in China, I met many kind and sympathetic people who became my friends in a short time. To be honest, it’s not so easy for me to find a common language with Russians, my dear people. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the Chinese quickly and happily make contact with a foreigner. Someone because they want to communicate in English. But often, they are simply very interested in having a foreign friend.
Cycling through southern China
Girl from Chinese minority
Passers-by helped with advice on where and how to get there. The drivers who picked us up in their cars gave us food. Acquaintances and strangers were treated to food in cafes and restaurants. And the police checked into hotels. Yes, this happened too. And the people with whom I spent 1 day became my friends who are ready to do anything for you. That's how they are, the Chinese.
The Chinese, in general, are not very smiling people. But behind the strict mask of everyday life they hide a lot of warmth and kindness. And as soon as they get to know you, they immediately start smiling at you and want to be your friend. Maybe because I'm a foreigner. But that doesn’t make it any less pleasant, doesn’t it?
Why am I all about the Chinese?! Vietnamese. The Vietnamese are a complex people. There are smiling people, but there are also rather strange, unpleasant people. It seems that they are not very happy with their lives and the people around them. As my friend said, it’s like they are owed something. If you didn’t buy my product, you are an enemy of the people and a personal enemy too. Unpleasant. This approach is not uncommon in Vietnam, in tourist places. But there are also good people in Vietnam. Truck and van drivers are good, responsive, and willing to give you rides. We also met very nice grandmothers doing their favorite thing. For example, they cook delicious noodles. Simple, but done with love.
But in any case, the Chinese defeated the Vietnamese, both in quantity and quality.
Nature
There is, of course, more of it in China. Simply because so many Vietnams fit into China. And, unfortunately, it so happened that we did not see Vietnamese nature. Almost or not at all. Behind the scenes were the jungles of the North of Vietnam, the coffee plantations of Dalat, the fauna of Cat Tien National Park and other beauties. But we enjoyed the Vietnamese beach. The sea in Vietnam is good, warm and soft.
In China, I saw a lot of beauty in 2 months.
Travertine Lake in JiZhaiGou
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Jizhaigou Lake
Huashan Mountains
FenHuang tea plantations
Guilin
Wuyi Mountains
Huashan mountains
Mount Wudanshan
Still in sight are the Wuyishan Mountains in Fujian, the Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan and the impressive Jizhaigou Lakes in Sichuan. And that's not all. TOP-3, so to speak. But there were also ascents to the Mecca of Chinese dance - the oriental martial arts Taiji - Mount Wudanshan and to the sacred mountains of the Taoists - Huashan. And this is only a small part of what you can see in China. And there is even a sea where you can swim - on the island of Hainan. Although Chinese attractions have 2 big, I would say huge, disadvantages - price and number of tourists. The prices are exorbitant. The number of tourists is comparable.
Nobody won here. There is nothing to compare with. And everyone can draw their own conclusions.
Food
Chinese food is incredibly varied. From province to province. It varies from region to region. I have tasted some of the national cuisines very well. The cuisine of the Bai people from the ancient city of Dali is unique in some ingredients, Cantonese cuisine (Guangzhou and other Guangdong) is refined and very tasty.I will never forget the crispy shrimp dim sum.
And even standard noodles in each province have their own characteristics. The most delicious - in Yunnan province - the famous “bridge noodles”.
Chinese food - noodles and dim sum
Sharp snails
Noodles across the bridge China
Noodles across the bridge China
Noodles soup
Noodles across the bridge in Kunming
Chinese dumplings
Cantonese cuisine - dim sum
Pork in China
But Vietnamese food, especially their soups, wins the heart. Seriously and for a long time. I have never tried such rich and tasty broths anywhere else. Sometimes it seems like there are so many secret ingredients there that it’s enough for several dishes. And their Bun Cha in Hanoi - a soup with grilled meat - is incredible. I would never have thought of cooking a cutlet over charcoal and then putting it in soup, or rather sauce.
You just have to try it, nothing more to say.
Probably, Chinese cuisine benefits a little due to diversity. But Vietnamese cuisine is also very powerful. Almost parity.
Language. English
In China, English is very poor. The relative number of English speakers in China is very small. Although in big cities, in provincial centers, there are English speakers, especially university students. In Vietnam, ordinary shop assistants sometimes speak English, even in places you wouldn’t expect. Although, if you move away from the tourist areas into the outback, you won’t see this there.
But in general, Vietnam wins in terms of the prevalence of English in the country. Even the Russian language is found.
Although, if we talk about the local language, Chinese, although very difficult to learn, is much more pleasant to hear. The Vietnamese is kind of croaking and choking, but the Chinese is melodic and pleasant to listen to. But this is purely subjective.
Prices
Food. You can find cheap and delicious food in China. In Vietnam too. In restaurants in China, it is, of course, already quite expensive, but restaurants, they are restaurants in Africa too.
Transport in China is expensive. Except for the lowest class seated trains. But it’s not cheap in Vietnam either. Having taken a sleep bus in Vietnam once, we switched to hitchhiking, which is already painfully expensive.
Accommodation. In China, it depends on the province and specific location. You can find a great room for 500 rubles per night. We had one in Yangshuo (Guangxi). And in big cities and super-tourist places it’s cheaper than 800-1000 rubles. will no longer be found. Finding a campsite in China is problematic, as is staying in a tent within the city. Although, they say, you can put up a tent in any park, no one will notice.
But it’s the same in Vietnam. In Nha Trang we found a room for 475 rubles, and in Hanoi on New Year's Eve we had to stay for more than 1000 rubles.
Attractions. China is very, overly expensive. Some mountain or lake can cost 2000 rubles. Moreover, you need to pay about 900 rubles for the obligatory buses around the territory. A ten-minute cable car from the mountain can cost 1,400 rubles one way. In Vietnam, everything is not so scary, although something big and historical can cost 450-500 rubles. This is expensive for Vietnam, especially if you go there together.
Vietnam is cheaper than China. But the level is lower. No luxurious high-speed seated trains, no well-established infrastructure on the territory of attractions.
Transport
It is very well developed in China. If you have money, fly by plane; there are airports all over China. Or take a soft berth on a high-speed train. First class seating is also good. Buses are slower and quite expensive due to toll roads everywhere, but there are also more destinations. Although there are places from which it is difficult to get out - we found ourselves in one in Fujian.
In Vietnam, the roads and trains are worse. The main Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City highway, 1,700 km long, is not a highway at all. We covered this route partly by bus and partly by hitchhiking, and the average speed in both cases was about 40 km/h. Mopeds travel along the highway all the time, towns and villages often cross it, and people and carts walk along the road. And the trains, they say, are slow.
China is far ahead of Vietnam in transport development. And planes from Russia to China now fly much more often and cheaper.
Visa
You cannot enter China without a visa. In Russia it is now easy to obtain a Chinese visa, but in neighboring countries it is not easy to obtain. It's difficult to stay in China, but it's possible. You can get a 2-hour or a multi-hour visa. There are plenty of options.
You can enter Vietnam with a stamp for 15 days free of charge. It is impossible to extend or make a visa-run. The next departure is possible only after 90 days. Upon arrival, at the airport, you can get a free visa for 30 days, but you need to pay in advance for an invitation (Aproval Letter). You can also get a 3-month or more business visa. It is not difficult to obtain a Vietnam visa in neighboring Asian countries. In China, a Vietnamese visa costs 420 yuan (4,200 rubles). Others should be cheaper.
Due to the free 15 days, Vietnam wins. But this is too little to get to know the country. A Chinese visa is best obtained in the Russian Federation. But the Vietnamese one - upon arrival.
Hitch-hiking
Hitchhiking exists in China, and it is quite fast. If you drive on high-speed toll highways. And they are all paid here. Only cars took us. The main thing is to get to the Tall Gate - the entrance to the highway and make your way past the ticket offices. Or stop in front of them, but usually there is a fork further on, and then cars with which you are not on the same path will stop.
But there is a very serious problem with hitchhiking in China - drivers do not want to drop you off on the highway and take you to their city or the nearest large city. Sometimes they drive outside the Tall Gate and drop you off there. We are not very experienced hitchhikers and this is a problem for us - we couldn’t explain and convince the drivers to drop us off on the highway.
Chinese drivers are very helpful and can feed you along the way or give you some fruits and drinks.
Hitchhiking also exists in Vietnam, and it is accessible thanks to American trucks. The interior is comfortable and often has 1-2 berths behind the drivers. You can travel part of the way lying down, which is very convenient.
Vietnamese drivers are also very helpful, they can feed you and let you sleep in their truck.
But the speed of hitchhiking in Vietnam is much lower, about 40 km/h. During daylight hours you can travel 350-400 km and, perhaps, this is the maximum.
Chinese hitchhikers are fast, but Vietnamese ones are slow. It’s easier to negotiate with the Vietnamese, but the Chinese won’t want to leave you on the highway and will take you to the city. It is not comfortable. Each country has its pros and cons when it comes to hitchhiking.
Results. China, due to its helpful and friendly people, generally wins over Vietnam. The nature of China is wonderful, but often very expensive to explore. It was not possible to evaluate Vietnamese nature. Food in China and Vietnam is very tasty and inexpensive. Transport and hitchhiking in China is very fast, but toll transport is expensive. Vietnamese transport is slow due to the roads and also not very cheap. You can visit Vietnam for 15 days for free, which is not possible in China.
In general, I liked China more, for many reasons, despite its comparative high cost. China won! =)
Chinese in Vietnam
Our first meetings with the Chinese have already been described at the beginning of these notes. It happened in China, in their country, but it didn't end there. On the contrary, they continued, and not to our joy.
There are many citizens of the Far Eastern Republic of Chinese origin in the country, just like in many other countries. They are called huaqiao (although I have never heard such a word there). The ancestors of many of them came to Vietnam a long time ago and, one might say, became Vietnamese. If we add to their number the Chinese military personnel brought in by mutual agreement as part of units and formations, then a decent number of them are recruited. So you will meet people of Chinese nationality at every step: in the city and village, at the crossing and in a restaurant. You can always tell a Chinese from a Vietnamese or a Korean. Although our guys often confused them.
There were also Chinese in the units of our regiment. I especially remember two. One of them is a missile guidance station transmitter operator named Song. He occupied a leading position in the calculation, although his position was that of an ordinary soldier. This apparently happened because Dongti Song had, firstly, some kind of technical education, and secondly, by nature he was an active, energetic person, that is, born under the sign of Leo. Tall, with good physical characteristics. He often approached our guys and asked many different questions. The questions, as usual, contained some kind of trick. It was as if he was checking whether they were worthy of their positions, whether they were capable of doing what was entrusted to them. It was necessary to behave very carefully so as not to get into an awkward position. I can’t say for sure that his behavior towards us was directed by someone from the outside, but I can say one thing with confidence: he treated us with hostility. For those times when relations between our states and parties were quite tense, these suspicions on my part had a right to be. By the way, I note that there were plenty of facts confirming that the Chinese were putting a spoke in our wheels. The loss or delay of cargo traveling by rail through China, which is so necessary in the war against the aggressor, protracted proceedings regarding it, provocations against Soviet specialists heading to Vietnam, and much, much more. It was not for nothing that our people preferred roundabout routes to and fro, for example, through Vladivostok-Haiphong or vice versa. Even better, take special planes directly to Hanoi, bypassing China.
But let's get back to the story.
During one of his visits to the division, Sun approached me with the following question.
Why is the Soviet Union supplying faulty measuring equipment to Vietnam?
What do you have in mind? - I answered the question with a question.
Here is a device whose needle does not deviate during measurement. - The rest of the guys in the crew listen carefully to our dialogue. I examined the Avometer device (the device is designed to measure voltages, currents, resistances, a universal device). The indicator glass was broken, the seals on the screws securing the cover were broken.
Who opened the device?
“I,” answered Sun. - But I opened it after he didn’t show it.
So, he still worked at first? - Sun hesitated.
Yes, but then he refused.
He refused because it was being used incorrectly. The mechanical part has failed here. Perhaps you dropped it? - Without waiting for his answer, I turned towards the chief engineer of the regiment, Comrade Any, who was accompanying me. - I ask you to order an official investigation into this matter; it is necessary to identify the culprit and, by your decision, punish him.
After I left, there was a rather sharp conversation between the chief engineer and the crew commander.
It turned out that it was Sun who disabled the device.
On my next visit, they explained to me that operator Song had been subjected to “deserved criticism” - fibin - at a meeting of battery personnel “for his careless attitude towards saving equipment.”
The punishments and rewards here are somewhat different from ours, although the goal is the same. Perhaps the most severe punishment is criticism at a meeting. The larger the group where the issue is discussed, the more severe the punishment. Anyone can be criticized, including commanders and even higher-ups. Sometimes meetings last for a very long time, for several days in a row from morning to evening.
There are almost no gross violations among personnel. There are no cases of unauthorized departure or consumption of alcoholic beverages in excessive quantities.
Incentives are varied, but collective ones predominate. For example, for the downing of an American plane, the entire division is rewarded with a buffalo (it may be slaughtered for additional food). Teams are awarded orders and medals. They are even given the collective title “Hero”. Of course, individuals are also awarded orders and medals.
Another warrior of Chinese origin served in another unit. Yesterday I just received a report from Viktor Smirnov, a specialist in the radio command transmitter for the rocket, about a malfunction in this division. He quickly fixed the problem, but was very upset that the technicians themselves could not handle it. It is considered the simplest. And here again is a call to the same division, to the same system.
I had to leave on my own; Victor was busy in another department.
A superficial inspection showed me that the fault was the same as yesterday, the generator lamp was faulty. How could this happen - the new lamp worked for less than two days? After all, Smirnov talked about replacing it with a new lamp. I didn’t immediately look at the journal entries about previous replacements of generator tubes, but put another one from the spare parts box into the equipment and turned on the transmitter. It worked fine. If so, then you need to check all the lamps in stock. Suddenly there is some other malfunction that leads to failure of any of the supplied lamps. You can't get enough lamps! Yes, and Viktor Smirny will not be happy if he failed to detect this malfunction. Until now, our group has worked smoothly, there have been no complaints, no mistakes. God forbid, as they say, to lose the trust of Vietnamese friends.
No, all other transmitter circuits worked stably. What's the matter?
After some time, having not found any other reasons, I began to ask the technician, the head of the group, whether any work had been carried out after Smirnov’s departure. The head of the department shrugged his shoulders, and the technician, this same Chinese, reluctantly muttered that after him he tried all the spare lamps. And then it dawned on me.
Where is the old faulty lamp?
“Here it is,” he answered, turning it over in his hands. But this is the same one that I just took out of the transmitter! This means that he put the obviously faulty lamp back into the transmitter. And all this time the division remained uncombat ready!
Why did you put the faulty lamp back into the transmitter? - I asked, barely restraining myself. - After all, you could have been bombed in no time! And because of this irresponsible technician. “I addressed these words to the head of the group and the division commander, who had just arrived.
We didn't know about this...
“We need to control the work of our subordinates more strictly,” I taught them.
Here our translator, Dongti Nam, intervened:
Comrade Kaim, you have fixed the problem. Combat Ready Division. Thank you very much. Calm down. And let’s go to the division headquarters, I think the commander will treat us to tea,” he turned his head towards the captain.
We left the control cabin and headed towards the headquarters. I think I went a little overboard. I had no right to be so loudly indignant. Not in my regiment, in Ivan Antonovich Starostenko’s division, where something like that can be allowed. And here... Thanks to Comrade Nam, he intervened in the conversation at the right time.
We were drinking hot tart tea, smoking a second cigarette, and were about to leave for home soon, when several officers approached the dugout. They clarified what happened. It turned out that the technician had deliberately installed a faulty lamp. Then the division commander called the technician himself. He explained the following.
The lamp that failed worked for fewer hours than the average of all the others that had failed before for all anti-aircraft missile forces (such statistics were kept and the results were certainly communicated to the personnel). For some reason, he believed that the lamp should be completed in any way for a period no less than the statistical average. He supported his reasoning with such words as “our country is still poor, frugality and economy should allow us to save funds for the defeat of the hated enemy,” etc., etc. Yes, and here is the path to victory! A treacherous act is what it is! This is how I regarded this act to myself. You can do such “things”...
Upon departure, I told the commander and his deputies that this technician needed to be removed from duty, and that I would petition the regiment command about this. They started to speculate and asked not to raise this issue in the regiment, but I was adamant. I couldn't do it any other way.
Two days later, Nam came up to me and said that that technician was no longer serving in our regiment.
I gave only two examples. In general, meetings with the Chinese and various kinds of incidents occurred quite often.
Chinese troops were brought in, as far as I know, after rumors about landings in North Vietnam began to accumulate. They were mainly engaged in restoration work. A large number of Chinese worked on the roads and destroyed places. They lived in settlements designated for them, military towns that had survived from the times of French colonization. Each unit had a kitchen area. They kept livestock and grew vegetables. They usually traveled to the work site by truck. Soldiers stood packed in the backs of cars. We drove with raised banners and portraits of Mao Tse Tung. Weapons are always with you. Slogans, flags, large and small portraits of Mao made on paper, cardboard, and plywood are hung at the work sites. The Vietnamese comrades tried to take us along roads where there were no Chinese. But, if the situation demanded it, then we had to drive past them. How long have we stood idle on the roads and crossings because of them! Having stopped our car and learned that “liensos” were coming, they surrounded us, began shouting curses, throwing stones, pouring earth and sand onto the roof. To prevent them from moving, “goats” of weapons and portraits of Mao were placed in front of the car. Try touching it! I had to batten down the windows, turn away, lie down on the floor, but under no circumstances engage in arguments or conversations. The negotiations were conducted by accompanying persons. For this purpose, they were taken towards the trailers and booths. As they later said, they started calling their command on the phone, finding out who was going where, and whether they could be allowed through. And, after holding for several hours, they let us through further.
The case of the Soviet geologist Vasiliev, who, while driving past a Chinese unit, was subjected to inhuman humiliation, is widely known in Vietnam. He was forced to kneel in front of a portrait of Mao and forced to kiss him. In the end, not having achieved what they wanted, they beat me brutally. The Vietnamese who were present could do nothing; they were powerless against the enraged soldiers. After a long treatment in the hospital, our geologist was sent to the Union. Got a disability.
I remember one day we were rushing to the starting position and tried to overtake a slow moving truck with Chinese soldiers. We thought they wouldn't recognize us. But, unfortunately, the side awning of the UAZ car was raised. Seeing us, the truck began to block our path. We go left, he goes right, we go right, he goes left.
Cars, cyclists, and pedestrians moving towards them on a narrow road darted in different directions so as not to be hit by a truck making dangerous zigzags. In the hope that they would go ahead, we stopped. Not so! They also stopped and even began to get off the car, screaming and waving their weapons. But things didn’t escalate to a serious conflict: people began to gather (we had just entered some village). In the presence of numerous witnesses, the Chinese did not dare to continue their venture and were forced to leave for home.
There were many such cases. You can’t tell about everything, but I can’t keep silent about the events that took place in Hanoi, of which I personally took part. But first, about the relationship between Vietnam, a warring country, and the USSR and China, states that provide all kinds of assistance in this war. We know about relations between the USSR and China during that period that, due to ideological and other differences, these relations were not just strained, they were sometimes downright hostile. As is known, the matter escalated into an armed conflict on Damansky Island in February-March 1969. Under these conditions, President Ho Chi Minh had to pursue a very flexible policy towards the USSR and China. One wrong step could lead to a distortion of the general line of opposition to the aggressor and to a weakening of the position of socialism. Based on their economic capabilities, the USSR and China provided assistance to Vietnam in various areas. In particular, anti-aircraft missiles, aircraft, radar stations, power equipment, fuel, etc. were supplied from the Soviet Union for the needs of Vietnam, and anti-aircraft artillery weapons, vehicles, small arms, and food products were supplied from China. In monetary terms, both sides received approximately the same amount. If it were different, the balance that was so necessary in those conditions to maintain mutually beneficial relations between Vietnam and the USSR, and China would be disrupted. The military attaché at the USSR Embassy in Vietnam, General Alexei Ivanovich Lebedev, used to say that this balance at times hangs by a thread and at times dangerously teeters. There were some invisible forces that artificially swayed this hair. But the country’s leadership skillfully kept the reins in its hands, promptly responding to changes in “travel” conditions and taking measures to prevent discord.
Discussions about the amount of assistance from these two states arose both among us and in conversations with Vietnamese comrades. Dongti Si, for example, argued until he was hoarse about whose machines these were? Soviet or Chinese? On the hoods of some cars there are hieroglyphs carved with the name of the manufacturer, as well as on automatic machines. Chinese! Of course, Chinese. Then I took his machine gun from Sy’s hands (he stood guard at our camp with weapons at night), quickly disassembled it and then quickly assembled it.
I ask:
Where could I treat a Chinese machine gun like that? In China?
I don’t know... Where? Probably here already, in Vietnam.
Then I call one of our guys and offer to do the same disassembly and assembly. Anyone can do this, as they say, with their eyes closed, without a hitch. Sanya is surprised, even confused. Then we jointly explain to him what’s what. “This is a Kalashnikov AK assault rifle,” do you understand? Etc. That the Soviet Union gave China a license to produce not only machine guns and cars, but also tanks, airplanes and many other civilian goods.
What is engraved on your machines? - Let's show. Sanya now believes. He just doesn’t fully understand why the Chinese behave this way towards us...
There is also a conversation about airplanes, now we don’t argue, Sanya just wants to know everything.
Here we have Korean MIG-17 aircraft flying. There are Soviet ones - MIG-21. It's like - MIG here, MIG here?
Yes, Korean pilots fly here on MIG-17 aircraft. We often meet with them at the Zanchu Hotel. Healthy guys, Korean pilots. Calm, polite. We explain to Sanya what's what.
Once, having arrived in the capital on some issues, we witnessed such events. Near the building of the PRC embassy, a car from our embassy was detained, in which there was a comrade from Moscow who had arrived as part of the delegation. An embassy employee was also in the car with him. The reason for the arrest was allegedly taking photographs of the Chinese embassy building. They were taken inside the building. A lot of time passed, but they were not released. The Chinese embassy was guarded by its own soldiers, while the other embassies were guarded by Vietnamese police. Often passing by the Chinese Embassy, we noticed this feature, but did not attach much importance to it - the war. By the way, anti-aircraft guns and machine guns were installed on the roof of the embassy, and this is also nothing special. During raids they shoot.
Rumors circulated around Hanoi, most likely started by the Chinese themselves. Allegedly, an attack on their embassy was being prepared; supposedly these two were intelligence officers. Nonsense, of course. But someone needed it that way.
Citizens of Chinese nationality began to appear on the streets of the capital. And, according to the Vietnamese comrades, there were at least one hundred thousand of them. Moving through the streets towards the “secun lienzo” - the Soviet embassy, they formed a crowd of thousands. There is a threat to our people. Security was strengthened and additional police units arrived. Near the embassy gates, a crowd staged a demonstration “against the impending attack.” This went on for days and nights. The crowd thinned out and then gathered again.
Possible measures were also taken by the ambassador. They established round-the-clock duty for embassy workers and military specialists, whose headquarters, as I already mentioned, were located here. They strengthened the internal security of gates and fences, and restricted the movement of Soviet citizens in the city. We, who arrived from the periphery, were detained until further notice. We were ordered to stay at the Zanchu Hotel and maintain constant telephone contact with the embassy.
After two days, the detainees were released. Naturally, from the very beginning there was no evidence of an “imminent attack on the embassy.” The incident gradually subsided. What's left in your soul? Of course, there is not only bewilderment, to put it mildly, but also quite appropriate indignation at such an act of Chinese politicians.
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The name "Indochina" was coined by the French to refer to a vast expanse that included countries such as modern-day Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand. That is, this name covers the territory from the modern borders of eastern India to the western borders of modern China. But the French called their colony French Indochina, although they did not own all these territories.
Many travelers ask themselves the question - why did the French call their colony Indochina? They were quite far from India, and China, although it was close, you couldn’t “bite”!
Europeans, namely French explorers of the colonized lands, found common features of India and China in these territories. They can be traced everywhere: in culture and architectural monuments, in customs, religion, and economic activity. The French knew Indian lands well, since the colonization of India by the French began in the mid-17th century. It is known that since 1658, the French physician and traveler Francois Bernier was the personal physician of the last Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. At the same time, the French merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier was engaged in the supply of diamonds from India to the European market. Under the patronage of Cardinal Richelieu, the French East India Company was created in 1642, and then at the end of the 17th century the first colony on the Bay of Bengal, Pondicherry, was formed.
The French presence in Indochina also dates back to the 17th century, with the activities of missionaries, although military intervention in Vietnam occurred in 1851. The French already had extensive experience in India. In fact, they ruled the territories of Pondicherry for almost two centuries, and Karaikal (Bay of Bengal) and Mahe (Arabian Sea) for almost a hundred years.
So, when we talk about Indochina, we mean the French military colonization of the territory of modern Vietnam. Before this, Christian missionaries – French Jesuits – “worked” in Vietnam. Catholicism began to actively penetrate Vietnam at the end of the 16th century, when the French Jesuit Alexandre de Rod arrived in Indochina. But it should be noted that Catholicism has been subjected to severe persecution here since the 17th century. In the late 17th and mid-18th centuries, 100,000 Christians suffered for their faith. In the first half of the 19th century there were from 100 to 300 thousand Catholics. In 1988, Pope John Paul II canonized 117 Vietnamese martyrs.
It is believed that this fact served as a pretext for the colonization of Vietnam by the French. Although, here we need to remember that the French had ruled the south of India for about 200 years. They were not new to the process of colonizing Asian countries. In 1858, under the pretext of protecting missionaries, a Franco-Spanish squadron was sent to Vietnam. In 1859, the French occupy Saigon. On June 5, 1862, a peace treaty was signed, according to which South Vietnam became a French colony. So, by 1862 the French already owned a small part of India and part of Vietnam.
Why didn't the French expand their colony in India? Why were they so eager to dominate Vietnam?
Yes, because in India it was at this very time, due to the sepoy uprising, that the huge British India was formed. That is, the British began to densely colonize India, creating an interesting system of government that used the traditional feudal organization of India. In 1876, Queen Victoria of England became Empress of India. The French had no choice but to maintain their small territories in southern India and expand in Vietnam.
So, in 1862, the Treaty of Saigon was signed, according to which Vietnam ceded three provinces to France. This fact caused the King of Cambodia to send a large embassy to Saigon to express his best wishes to the French. The situation in Cambodia was difficult. On one side are the French and Vietnamese, on the other side is aggressive Siam. Who should I support, who should I be friends with? And the Cambodian government chooses France. The Franco-Cambodian Protectorate Treaty was signed on August 11, 1863 and ratified by both parties in 1864. This is how French Indochina began to form.
Here I would like to draw attention to an interesting fact, which is also connected with the name of the country. Imagine, when the French began active colonization of Vietnam, and when Cambodia came under their rule, not only military men, traders, and missionaries arrived here in Southeast Asia, archaeological researchers and lovers of exotic culture appeared here. What they saw and what they began to export in tons to France. Works of art of antiquity. All the colonial governments of the world “sinned” this way. The French discovered the Hindu art of Cham (Cham) and practically plundered all the famous Cham towers. Since Cambodia was partially under the protectorate of France, research on cultural monuments also began here. Thus, in 1860, the now famous Angkor Wat, a Hindu complex dedicated to Vishnu, which had already been opened in the mid-16th century (first by a Portuguese merchant and then by a Portuguese monk), was reopened to Europeans. Indian culture entered the French territory with its beautiful works of art. Not everything went to Great Britain!
What about the second name - China? This is a very ancient story that played the most important role in the colonization of Vietnam
Sometime in the late 3rd century BC. The state of Nam Viet was formed on the territory of northern Vietnam. Some Vietnamese believe that it was then that the Chinese character of this territory began to take shape. It must be said that by the end of the 2nd century BC. Nam Viet was incorporated into the Han Empire and from then on the peoples of Nam Viet became part of the Chinese cultural sphere, which spread throughout the territory, especially along the coast of modern Vietnam. By the time the French arrived in Vietnam, there were already ancient monuments here; the cultural traditions of the Chinese were intertwined with the younger culture of the Hindu Champa. The coastal areas of Vietnam were used for trade - good bays, rubber and coconut plantations, Chinese settlements in Ho Yan, which always had connections with China. They traded silk, Chinese medicines, paper, porcelain, oils, spices, and ceramics. The Chinese brought silkworms here and established silk production. China's influence in Vietnam was enormous.
Suffice it to say that the main Goddess in Vietnam was Guan Yin. This is what it is called in China and in most countries of Southeast Asia. In Vietnam it became known as Quan Am. The name Guan Shi Yin means "she who carefully looks, observes or listens to the sounds of the world." According to legend, Guan Yin (Kuan Am) was ready to ascend to heaven, but stopped at the threshold, as the pleas of the world reached her ears. Altars and statues of the goddess can be found everywhere. The Goddess helps in all areas of life. Anyone can approach the goddess Quan Am with a request or desire, and she fulfills it, compassionate to all Humanity. Requests can be anything. But if their fulfillment can harm a person, the desire is not fulfilled. The Goddess of Compassion strictly monitors this. Europeans call the goddess Guan Yin (Quan Am) the Eastern Virgin Mary.
The Spaniards, Portuguese, English, French, Germans, and Russians sought to get to China, just as in the Middle Ages to India. The Far Eastern country attracted the European “sharks” of capitalism, which began to develop rapidly in the mid-19th century. Christian missionaries were unable to do anything, although the Jesuits made fruitless attempts to penetrate Chinese society for many years. And then came the period when the European strong powers, and at that time they were England and France, with such economic growth, modern weapons and a set of modern technical means for that time, could conquer the Celestial Empire, which was at the medieval level of economic development. The main goal of the colonial policy of Great Britain and France was the conquest of China. It was impossible to reach even a trade agreement either military or diplomatically. Two opponents who constantly competed with each other, were competitors, sometimes enemies, united in one desire - to capture China. But England was the first in this endeavor.
What played a key role in the creation of French Indochina?
After the British colonized Bengal, the East India Company received from the English government a monopoly on the trade in opium, which went straight to China. There was the largest market for this drug. Trading turned out to be a very profitable business. In 1834, one of the Chinese officials reported: “Starting from the bureaucratic class of government agencies down to the owners of workshops and shops, actors and servants, as well as women, Buddhist monks and Taoist preachers - everyone smokes in broad daylight, buys pipes and all the accessories for smoking."
The Chinese government and progressive leaders of China realized that the opium trade was a form of British aggression. Therefore, they began to fight against smuggling. Thus began the first Anglo-Chinese war of 1839-1842.
But what about the French? France and the USA supported England in the fight against China. For the French, the British victory in the war with China meant complete control over Vietnam. As a result of this war, China was defeated and turned into a semi-colony. As a result of the second war of 1856-1860, which lasted four years, France also received money in the form of indemnity. In 1860, the Treaty of Beijing was signed, under which the Qing government agreed to pay large indemnities to Great Britain and France, and also opened Tianjin to foreign trade. The colonies of Great Britain and France were allowed to use Chinese as labor.
Thus, thanks to Great Britain, France gained full control of Vietnam and was able to turn its attention west towards Siam and strengthen its Western position in Vietnam. Nobody interfered with this. China forgot the road to the south for a long time.
Part two
What attracted the French to Vietnam?Let us turn again to the dry dates in the history of the formation of French Indochina. The Franco-Cambodian Protectorate Treaty was signed on August 11, 1863 and ratified by both parties in 1864. French Indochina began to form. On December 1, 1867, Siam recognized France's protectorate over Cambodia, and in return France agreed to the annexation of two western Cambodian provinces to Siam. During the first Franco-Vietnamese war of 1852-1862 and the protracted peace treaty, Vietnam signed peace with France in 1867 on difficult terms. All of southern Vietnam passed to the French, and after the second Franco-Vietnamese War of 1883-1887, all French possessions in Indochina were united into a single Indochina Union, which was entirely under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Colonies. The Governor-General was placed at the head of the Indochina Union, who initially was only an official of his ministry, and only in 1891 his powers began to expand: as the sole representative of the President of the French Republic, he concentrated in his hands the fullness of administrative, financial, economic and military power .
Since the end of the 19th century, the French have firmly settled in the south of Vietnam. But here the climate is hot for Europeans. After all, we had to live in this territory both in wet summer and hot spring. Despite the proximity of the sea, temperatures in the south of Vietnam are much higher than in the south of France. The colonial authorities of European countries always sought to find comfortable places in their tropical colonial countries. Thus, the British made the Himalayan city of Shimla (Simla) their second capital and throughout the middle Himalayas they created mountain resort areas where they could relax from the heat and stuffy monsoons. The French also found a wonderful holiday destination - the mountains of Vietnam. More than 80% of Vietnam's territory is occupied by low and medium-high mountains (average height - 1475 meters). Dalat was built by the French to escape the Saigon heat and began to develop in the early 20th century. The French rested here and restored their health. But colonization involves more than just relaxation! Colonization is the use of territory for one’s economic needs.
They decided to produce coffee in the mountains of French Indochina. Coffee trees were introduced by the French immediately after the first landing of French troops to protect the missionaries. Since 1857, coffee trees began to grow in Vietnam. The first plantations appeared in 1888 in a province called Nghe An. So coffee became an important source of income for French Indochina.
The history of silk production in Vietnam goes back about 1,200 years. The village of Van Phuc in northern Vietnam is considered the cradle of Vietnamese sericulture. By the time the French arrived, Vietnam was already a large silk producer. And the French exported this product with pleasure and great benefit for themselves. At the end of the nineteenth century, light industry still played a major role in the economy. Possessing excellent taste, they created clothes, pastels and underwear from Vietnamese silk, which were very popular all over the world. And all this was done with the help of cheap labor from the hardworking Vietnamese.
We must not forget about the production of rice and other agricultural products, spices, rubber and fruits for jams. The woodworking industry and the production of furniture made from wood and straw began to develop. During the French colonial period, Vietnam exported a lot of good furniture to Europe. It became very popular in the country estates of wealthy Frenchmen. And, of course, what would France be without wine! Having turned Dalat into a resort area, the French began producing dry white and red wine here. For myself. Not for sale. Therefore, wine in Dalat had a purely French local flavor and purpose.
The production of Dalat wine began recently. It first appeared in stores in 1999, and became the first brand of wine produced in Vietnam. From then until 2007, a total of over 2 million liters of this drink were consumed. In 2003, the Dalat Wine brand was approved by the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam. 5 years later, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry awarded the manufacturer the title of “Famous Brand”. Dalat wine is included in the list of the 500 most famous brands in Vietnam.
So, French Indochina. A very profitable territory for trade: Chinese goods, silk, beautiful bays, a good climate for growing agricultural goods that are expensive in Europe, wood for furniture production, cheap labor from the hardworking Vietnamese. The French achieved unified control over the colony, which had always been a tasty morsel for neighboring countries such as China and Siam. French Indochina existed for 78 years (from 1867 to 1945). And then another story began.
Marina Filippova
