H-War

In regard to comparative expenditures of nations in Viet Nam, one has to consider not calculated dollar amounts, but internal costs related to GDP. Example- one might say AK-47 cost $50 while an M-16 cost $150, but the cost to Russia or China of an AK-47 in terms of their own economy was at least as high. This then applies to the tanks, trucks, SAMs, AA guns, oceans of fuel, uniforms, medical supplies, etc, etc. The strain on the Russian economy was certainly higher than it was on America's. And that cost to Russia continued for the ten years of support after the war ended.

All the American intelligence estimates show Chinese and Soviet spending on support for North Vietnam a small fraction, repeat small fraction, of American spending on support for South Vietnam. I am a bit suspicious of the figures on Chinese spending between 1965 and 1969, but even if I assume Chinese spending in those years was substantially higher than showed in the US intelligence estimates, I can't see any way to get the total Chinese and Soviet spending up to half the level of American spending.