PLA Strategy in a Taiwan Contingency

solarz

Brigadier
Destroying US bases is a given in any conflict scenario. The whole reason the US is coming up with this rhetoric about so-called "distributed lethality" is precisely because they don't expect their bases to remain operational beyond the first few hours of a war.

How exactly are those small groups of isolated light infantry supposed to be supplied or reinforced, or even rescued? Are they some kind of kamikaze force?
 

mshrief303

Junior Member
Registered Member
I think that concept is very good for the defensive side, that's way I think china should use it in it's system of systems, also can be use as a sponge for enemy strikes. and you can use it as the attacking side by basing your forces on islands you can control in the fight.

But I should say that US can use it in islands that belongs to Japan, South Korea, Philippines and they can put some stocks their with minimal personnel, and then they can transfer personnel from islands to island to improve the manpower in that island, but most of the time they use minimal manpower that stays their.

I think it's a very good model in that sense, and I don't take the idea of just going in that island to make a one off salvo then leaving to fire from another island. But if that's what the US thinks, then that's maybe their way to make sure this states - Japan, ROK, Philippines - join the war and be the next Ukraine.
 

solarz

Brigadier
Many times this point has been raised in this thread (including by myself)
The conclusion is "yes, basically"

Possibility 1: this is just disinformation or nonsense put out by amateurs. If so, we can just dismiss it.

Possibility 2: the US really believes this is a good strategy. That reflects poorly on their judgment.

Possibility 3: the US believes only suicide tactics like this can crack China's AD bubble. If that's their mindset, then what does it mean when they are considering late-war Imperial Japan tactics when the war hasn't even started yet?

But if that's what the US thinks, then that's maybe their way to make sure this states - Japan, ROK, Philippines - join the war and be the next Ukraine.

This would imply that the US believes if Taiwan falls, then their control over West Pacific would collapse. Considering that US hold on Japan, SK and PH is still pretty strong, that would seem to be a rather irrational view.
 

Almond98

New Member
Registered Member
I think it's a very good model in that sense, and I don't take the idea of just going in that island to make a one off salvo then leaving to fire from another island. But if that's what the US thinks, then that's maybe their way to make sure this states - Japan, ROK, Philippines - join the war and be the next Ukraine.
You do know that if ROK joined the conflict that means north korea also automatically join. This will add more headache to america as they have not only 1 but 2 nuclear state to deal with. There is also no guarantee that philippines is going to join the war as there is a chance an anti-war president might win the election in the future.
 

mshrief303

Junior Member
Registered Member
You do know that if ROK joined the conflict that means north korea also automatically join. This will add more headache to america as they have not only 1 but 2 nuclear state to deal with. There is also no guarantee that philippines is going to join the war as there is a chance an anti-war president might win the election in the future.
Fully agree with you, and it's one of the most dangerous scenarios as N.Korea threshold is not as big as china, so it can escalate quickly.

The best scenario is that South Korea and North Korea doesn't get involve and just neutrilize each other, giving each other a death stare until all is settled. But can you trust those americans to think rationally as they lose, and that they wouldn't pressure south korea to hell, until they join the fight?

Americans are pathetic losers, so I can't rule it out. and as I said, it's maybe US's way to push this countries to fight and not giving them a a choice.
 

latenlazy

Brigadier
Fully agree with you, and it's one of the most dangerous scenarios as N.Korea threshold is not as big as china, so it can escalate quickly.

The best scenario is that South Korea and North Korea doesn't get involve and just neutrilize each other, giving each other a death stare until all is settled. But can you trust those americans to think rationally as they lose, and that they wouldn't pressure south korea to hell, until they join the fight?

Americans are pathetic losers, so I can't rule it out. and as I said, it's maybe US's way to push this countries to fight and not giving them a a choice.
No American pressure will be able to persuade South Koreans that turning Seoul into the next Gaza is something they should want.
 

mister unknown

New Member
Registered Member
How exactly are those small groups of isolated light infantry supposed to be supplied or reinforced, or even rescued? Are they some kind of kamikaze force?
Lol, that's something you have to take up with the USMC...

The concept - as they describe it - is that they're meant to be some kind of guerilla missile launching force. They land on a small piece of rock, setup & launch their missiles, then leave immediately before the PLA can discover them. They're not meant to occupy the islands.

As you pointed out, there are multiple logistics flaws with this concept, not the least of which is how they'd operate these amphibious ships (that must be big enough to ferry HIMARS & other hypersonic missile launchers) & expect them to survive in contested & surveilled seas with minimal cover from other naval assets.
 

latenlazy

Brigadier
I hope that's what happen, and that's the rational decision for Korea. But unfortunately, you should care about irrational scenarios, as humans are not completely and always rational.
No one is so irrational that they will actively take on self obliteration to please a vassal-lord. It entirely defeats the point of joining the vassal-lord’s hegemonic orbit, which is that you’re supposed to be safer inside that orbit than outside. No matter how subservient you think mentally colonialized compradors are they very rarely love their colonizers more than life itself.
 
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