Does Red China Want War
Abstract
In recent years the United States and the other major powers in the Far East have become increasingly alarmed over Red China's bellicose attitude. Moreover, Peking has selected the United States as the primary target of Red China's vitriolic propaganda. It is the purpose of this thesis to answer two questions: Does Red China want war? If so, how much war does she want? A brief review of the last century of China's history shows quite clearly that China has suffered one profound shock after another as the Western powers forcibly opened her doors--one by one. From the resulting chaos, and in a general atmosphere of xenophobia, Mao Tse-tung emerged as the forceful leader of Red China. Mao, the revolutionary leader, has taught his subordinates never to fight a battle they are not sure of winning. Above all, he enjoined them never to fight a strategically decisive engagement on which the fate of the nation is at stake. While China has enjoyed a stable government under the communist regime, Peking finds itself unable to feed the growing population without spending half of its foreign exchange annually on food imports. China's industrial sector appears unable to support sustained large scale military operations, and the weak agricultural sector serves as a drag on rapid industrial development. Moreover, the armed forces, rich in manpower, lack the means of projecting Chinese military power very far beyond China's borders. Red China's past foreign policy indicates that she is well aware of her strengths and weaknesses. While China often has threatened military action, her deeds have been carefully measured to stay within her limited capabilities. This thesis concludes that China does want war by proxy--that is, wars of national liberation. While Red China will fight to defend her own borders--and perhaps her ring of buffer states--she will seek to avoid war the United States.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 08, 1966
- Accession Number
- ADA522388
Entities
People
- Fayette L. Worthington
Organizations
- United States Army War College