During the 1950s and early 1960s, Soviet support for North Vietnam was encouraging but restrained. Moscow supplied the communist regime in Hanoi with advice, information and technical support but only small amounts of tangible aid. This changed with the deployment of American combat troops in Vietnam in 1965. Sensing an opportunity to enmesh the Americans in a long and costly war, Moscow significantly increased its economic and military aid to the North Vietnamese. The full extent of this aid has never been revealed, though it was undoubtedly considerable. This US intelligence paper, dated November 23rd 1965, suggests the Soviet Union gifted Hanoi more than 300 million rubles in military aid in 1965 alone:

“A source which has furnished reliable information in the past has advised that in early November 1965, selected representatives of communist parties from various countries visiting in Moscow were permitted to review a secret document, prepared by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, regarding aid rendered to North Vietnam. This document included military aid rendered by the Soviets and economic aid given by various socialist countries. In essence, this document was reported to contain the following information:

Military aid

From 1953 to 1964 the Soviet Union gave more than 200 million rubles in military aid to North Vietnam. This material consisted primarily of aircraft, ammunition, artillery, tanks, PT boats and communications equipment. Following the Gulf of Tonkin incident in the summer of 1964, the Soviet Union furnished equipment worth 32 million [rubles] plus 15.6 million rubles’ worth of rockets and other anti-aircraft equipment to North Vietnam. The Soviets also provided instructors to train the North Vietnamese in using this equipment.

As a result of pressure from. Communist China, North Vietnam refused an offer by the Soviets to provide complete air defence units for the city of Hanoi with Soviet personnel. North Vietnam also refused a Soviet offer to provide interceptor aircraft and crews to train North Vietnamese crews in battle. However, an agreement was reached that the Soviet Union would provide aircraft and training for North Vietnamese personnel in the Soviet Union and permit the trained crews to fly these planes back to North Vietnam.

In February 1965, material aid worth an additional 150 million rubles was granted [to] North Vietnam by the Soviets and, following discussions with North Vietnamese leaders in the same month, military aid worth 145 million rubles was given North Vietnam. The latter grant was to be used primarily for airfields with related installations. During these discussions, the Soviets also agreed to replace or rebuild 120 kilometres of damaged railroads and to rebuild or replace bombed bridges and power stations.

Of the total amount of military aid granted to North Vietnam by the Soviets, material worth over 300 million rubles has been delivered in the last few months.

Economic aid from socialist countries

During the period 1953 to 1964, various socialist countries granted a total of 317 million rubles’ worth of economic aid to North Vietnam. Almost one-third of this amount was given gratis. The Soviet Union furnished 40 per cent of the total economic aid. Almost three-fourths of the aid furnished by the Soviet Union consisted of complete industrial plants shipped to North Vietnam. It is hoped that by 1967, 185 new plants will be set up in North Vietnam. At the present time, 85 such industrial plants are in operation. To assist in the economic development of North Vietnam, the Soviet Union has sent 2,148 specialists to that country since 1955.”