Description
Transitioning rapidly from an agrarian to an industrial society in the second half of the twentieth century, China embraced the slogan, "rich country and strong military." As Xi Jinping declares the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army as a "world class force" on its 100th anniversary in 2027, this book, the first of its kind, traces the roots of the PLAs development, transformation, and modernization. In the course of his investigation into the history of the PLA, author Xiaobing Li reveals that the origins of the doctrines, principles, and strategies guiding China are deeply marked by the nations military culture, political orientation, social stability, and geopolitical security. The insights offered in How China Fights thus will prove critical to understanding and confronting China in our day.
Focusing on strategy, objectives, leadership, tactics, technology, logistics, and other aspects of PLA military operations from the 1920s to 2022, Li gives an account of the PLAs operations in the Korean War, the French War in Vietnam, the Taiwan Straits conflicts (1954 and 1958), the Sino-Indian border War, the Sino-Soviet border clashes, the American War in Vietnam, and the Sino-Vietnamese War. He also describes more recent military developments in the South and East China Seas. Along the way, he reveals important changes to Chinas militaryin strategy and tactics, technological improvements, development of naval and air forces, the atomic weapons program, and PLA involvement in politics. His work makes an essential contribution to our understanding of the PLAs strategic cultureand of when, why, and how China goes to war.