What basis is there for thinking that North Vietnam was a political agent of the Soviet Union? Ever?

The NVA was armed by Soviets, often, as well as by Eastern European governments (their tracers were often purple, making for the occasional red, green and purple battlefield) and the Chinese. Of course there was trade to pay for some of these munitions.

Any history of the country will show that Ho Chi Minh sought Western help first in his drive for independence. No Western country would act against French interests, and so he sought help from were it would come - the communist bloc.

NVM was more "not Western" than they were "pro Soviet" in the sense of any economic system. And it was by necessity. Ho was educated mostly in the West, in economics, but was not nearly as much of an economic crusader as he was nationalist.

And they were brutal to the less-than-nationalists they would take over from, much the way Castro was. However, in Vietnam they moved South instead of to Miami. (And the South was less than kind to the Northerners who didn't 'convert' fast.)

If you check the borders, it's easy to see that the Soviet Union would not have any more of an influence than the Chinese would allow. The USSR could ship to Vietnam, but that's relatively awkward. The rail lines came through China and were subject to her control at all times.

And the Chinese didn't want to mess with 'em anymore.

Anyway, I would really be interested in anything which indicated the Soviets had any particularly political influence in Vietnam.