Preparing for Great Power Conflict: How Experience Shapes U.S. and Chinese Military Training
Abstract
Since 2001, the U.S. and Chinese militaries have been shaped by a distinct set of direct and indirect experiences. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the Iraq invasion in 2003, the U.S. military focused its energies and resources on combating terrorism and performing counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even in 2023, U.S. emphasis on major power competition contends with other national security priorities, including current crises and continued deployments around the globe. The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), on the other hand, has largely focused its military modernization and restructuring to prepare for a regional conflict that would likely involve U.S. military intervention. Despite having no combat experience since the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War, the PLA has conducted an in-depth study of all aspects of the U.S. military's technological and operational capabilities including its organization, command and control, logistics, joint operations, and concepts of operation since the 1990s.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 13, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1205560
Entities
People
- Anne Pillion
- Cortez A. Iii Cooper
- Keith Gierlack
- Kelly E. Eusebi
- Mark Cozad
- Sale Lilly
- Susan G. Straus
Organizations
- RAND Corporation