Taiwan's 'Will to Fight' and Implications for U.S. Operations
Abstract
In a conflict with the People's Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan's "will to fight" is its strategic center of gravity -- the source of massed moral strength whose degradation would have a decisive impact on Taiwan's ability to resist the enemy. The PRC would attack this center of gravity though operations designed to disrupt Taiwan's economy, degrade its infrastructure, wear down its military defenses, and terrorize its population, thereby undermining Taiwan's national morale and bringing about a collapse of the will to fight. Many analysts have expressed concern that a massive coercive campaign by the PRC could succeed in rapidly undermining Taiwan's will to fight and forcing it to capitulate before the United States could effectively intervene. This paper will explore issues involving Taiwan's will to fight and their implications for U.S. operations in the western Pacific. The paper argues that, in the face of a campaign of military coercion by the PRC, Taiwan's will to fight is not likely to collapse before effective assistance can arrive, and the United States should therefore be prepared to conduct operations that will support Taiwan's national morale, increasing the chances that Taiwan's resolve will outlast that of the PRC.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 23, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA484450
Entities
People
- John E. Lee
Organizations
- Naval War College