This book analyzes the origins and development of the Third Indochinese Conflict and the problems posed by the complex issues involved. It tries to unravel the tangled knot of issues involved in this analysis by following principles proceed from the basic to the more complex aspects of the problem.

The Third Indochina Conflict (1975-) is seen by some as the escalation of a local quarrel between Vietnam and Kampuchea; others attribute it to the attempts of external powers to advance their own interests by encouraging conflict among the various Indochinese states; most agree that it is a logical--but not inevitable--consequence of the First (1946-54) and Second (1959-75) Indochinese conflicts. The contributors to this book analyze the origins and development of the Third Indochinese Conflict and the problems posed by the complex issues involved.