What if The Soviet union sent troops to Vietnam

What if the Soviet union had sent Soldiers to Vietnam before the United states did when there was only advisores , what if they sent troops After the United states did
 

The Vulture

Banned
Then the US and every other combatant in the many Flags program would be forced to declare war on the USSR. That would end poorly.

World War Three tends to take the fun out of proxy wars, because it's so damn serious.
 
Then the US and every other combatant in the many Flags program would be forced to declare war on the USSR. That would end poorly.

World War Three tends to take the fun out of proxy wars, because it's so damn serious.

Why would the Allies (SETO) have to do that . We knew there were Soviet Advisers in North Vietnam . They were running the SAM Sites and training the North's air force .
 

The Vulture

Banned
I'm assuming he means regular Soviet troops in open combat against the US, ARVN, South Korean, Australian, et al troops.
 
I take this to mean the Soviets sending troops in an amount and way to parallel the American war effort? It'd heat tensions, but I'd say it would be limited to a proxy war like the conflict between China and the US in Korea. Both sides will kill each other, but in defense of a representative nation so neither will be at war with one another.
 
Why would the Soviets do this? The Vietnam debacle was a gift from the Gods, what's the point of jumping into the quicksand yourself when you can watch your enemy sink?
 
The US troops were there to prop up the South, the North didn't need propping up in the same way. Perhaps Soviet advisers could be common in 'defensive' roles; manning artillery on the DMZ, coast batteries, anti SF/CSAR operations in the north as well as SAM/AAA and fighters without causing WW3 by never venturing into the south.
 

terence

Banned
The Soviets and surrogates were involved in every mini-war of the post war era.
As mentioned above they were in Vietnam running SAM sites, intelligence and probably, as in Korea, flying combat missions.
They were in the Ogaden, they were in Congo and in Angola. (Three Russians were kidnapped from a forward observation post on the Cunene by South African Commandos). They flew Mil helicopters out of Zambia to drop ZIPRA troops into Rhodesia.
As for ground troops in Vietnam. Russia was, with Britain, the supposed 'guarantor' of Vietnamese integrity. The Geneva Accords were supposed to lead to internationally supervised elections in 1954-- something the Americans, not involved with the Geneva accords, sabotaged.
( A bit like the US Presidential election of 2000)
Had the USSR ( with Britain, India, Poland, Canada and France) put troops into Vietnam at that time--it would have been legitimate. After 1960, it would have been difficult. After 1965--a declaration of war against the US.
 

burmafrd

Banned
Actually the French has a little to do with 1954 as well. And your comment about the 2000 elections destroys your credibility if you want to be taken seriously.
 
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