Soviet(Russian)historiography- Vietnam relations has been supplemented with a new remarkable work. The book " The Vietnam War... How it was (1965-1973)" (Moscow, publishing house "Exam", 2005, 511 p).

The book is compiled from the memoirs of Soviet military and civilian specialists who worked in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) during the years of US aggression. The memoirs were written at different times: some literally "in the fresh footsteps", others-years later, but they are united by the sincerity and truthfulness of the authors who told readers about what they had to do and survive in those distant war years.

Recall that the war against the DRV. provoked by a U.S. attack, it began in 1964 and ended in 1973. In accordance with the Paris Agreements, the United States was forced to withdraw its troops from Vietnam. But Washington left a huge amount of military equipment and weapons in the south of Vietnam to the puppet Saigon regime. The final end of the war occurred in April 1975, when the national-patriotic forces completely liberated South Vietnam, and the Vietnamese homeland became free and united.

Throughout the war years, the Soviet Union provided economic and military assistance to the Vietnamese people, which helped them survive and defeat a more powerful enemy.

The memoirs of Soviet military and civilian specialists paint a picture of the fighting and everyday life in the DRV, the harsh and stressful life of that time. Thus, Colonel V. M. Konstantinov, a participant in the first anti-aircraft missile battle near Hanoi in July 1965, writes about the courage of Soviet and Vietnamese soldiers in repelling American air raids on the capital of the DRV, their moral and psychological training, and their friendship with Vietnamese pilots (pp. 75-85).

Colonel A. B. Zaika, who headed the regimental group of the anti-aircraft missile system, shares with readers his memories of how difficult it was to fight and defeat the US army equipped with the latest technology. "In general, the victory was not easy," he writes. - American pilots were not "whipping boys". They were experienced, brave, purposeful soldiers who were well versed in advanced equipment and weapons at that time. Meeting them in battle required full commitment, and the end result was in our favor " (p. 95).

Colonel B. A. Voronov adds to the picture of his colleague's everyday combat life: "The combat skills of Soviet and Vietnamese soldiers, their will to win, he writes, predetermined the high efficiency of their military work." The official American data provided in the book can serve as confirmation.:

"In the Vietnam War, the US air force lost one aircraft for every 60 sorties, while in the Korean War it lost only one aircraft for every 750 sorties" (p. 302). During the period from 1964 to 1972, 4,181 American aircraft were shot down over the territory of the DRV (p. 303).

During the battles, Soviet and Vietnamese soldiers improved their skills and technical means of conducting combat. In this regard, Major General Yu. A. Demchenko recalls: "There was so much going on in Vietnam. Our silver rockets were visible from afar. We raised the issue of the need to cover missiles in a protective color. We received an answer: if the rocket is painted, its aerodynamic qualities deteriorate. However, in 1965 the issue was resolved positively." This innovation made it difficult for the enemy to visually detect our weapons (p. 41-42).

E. P. Glazunov, Minister-Counsellor of the USSR Embassy in Vietnam (1974-1978) writes about the peculiarities of the work of diplomats during the war, about trips around the country, about meetings with political figures of Vietnam, ordinary citizens of the country. He notes, in particular, that acquaintance with the Vietnamese was accompanied by their friendly shouts of " Lienso! Lienso!" ("Soviet! Soviet!"). He also shares with the reader little-known details of the meetings and negotiations of the head of the Soviet government A. N. Kosygin, who came to Hanoi on an official visit, with President Ho Chi Minh, Prime Minister Pham Van Dong, about the friendly relations between the Soviet and Vietnamese premiers.

In a number of articles in the collection, the authors write about the organization of life of Soviet specialists, about the difficulties of living in unusual climatic conditions (heat, humidity, constant thirst, tropical diseases, about an unusual diet for them - "they missed a loaf of black bread").

As a result of his memoirs, an article by Colonel A. M. Belov can serve, who emphasizes that despite the fact that the Vietnamese people were opposed by more than 500 thousandth US army, the war ended with the victory of the Vietnamese people (p.325). The United States lost 57,000 people killed in Vietnam.

A long time has passed since then, and a new, twenty-first century and a new, third millennium have arrived. But our combatants cherish the memory of those terrible years. Here is how senior Lieutenant-engineer A.M. Anosov tells about it in poems published in the book (p. 352)::

It was all a long time ago. 
The table didn't gather 
-some of them had their memories dried up, 
and some of them left us completely. 
We will remember them, standing silently, 
Then for everything that was there, 
For our youth in Hanoi 
By " mot cham gam!" 
By " mot cham gam!"*

* "Mot cham gam" - translated from Vietnamese - one hundred grams.

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