"The Kampuchean-Vietnamese Conflict", written by scholar Stephen P. Heder, provides an in-depth analysis of the Kampuchean-Vietnamese conflict, a struggle rooted in historical tensions, competing revolutionary ideologies, and geopolitical ambitions. It traces the conflict’s origins to territorial disputes and the breakdown of diplomatic relations in the mid-1970s, when Democratic Kampuchea accused Vietnam of expansionist designs aimed at incorporating Kampuchea into a Vietnamese-controlled Indochinese federation. Heder explores how Vietnam’s pragmatic and gradualist approach to socialism clashed with Kampuchea’s radical, self-reliant, and nationalistic revolutionary model, exacerbating distrust and hostility between the two regimes. The document details how escalating border skirmishes—fueled by Vietnam’s superior military capabilities and Kampuchea’s unwavering stance on sovereignty—culminated in a full-scale war by late 1977, with Vietnam launching a major invasion aimed at crippling Kampuchea’s military and political structure. Framed within the broader context of Cold War geopolitics, this analysis highlights the role of international actors, including China and the Soviet Union, in shaping the conflict’s trajectory.