Great Fictional World War III book (China & allies VS US & allies)

Troika said:

Jeff, I have to say I have find your distinction between the Chinese government and her people narrow and somewhat artificial.

There is no hard line. The CCP has more than sixty million members, and unlike the old days, no one man or small group of men can be said to effectively control China's decision-making processes. The lines between central power and autonomy is also quite blurred, and increasingly groups not of the government gain influence. China is no Stalinist totalitarianism today.

But let us stay with the focus on the Chinese government. Please note that even in the shrillest years of the Cultural Revolution, China was never this aggressive. In entire history of PRC they exhibited no aggression and territorial ambition even remotely resembling that which is described in the book. And amorphous' point may thus summarized - the Chinese leadership has never exhibited anything this stupid, either. Most observers agree that the primary CCP aim is to stay in power, and one does not stay in power by initiating a war that one obviously has no chance of winning.

Regarding representative government... I think governing well should be the priority, not governing democratically (the only reason why democracy should even be favored is that history has shown it to be the government form, on balance, most likely to bring good governance). This is true for all nations, but especially so for China, where the challenges are great and the stakes greater. I point no further than Russia, where adoption of representative government was not an obvious improvement in many ways. A democracy is only as good as its institutions and, of course, those it represents. Democracy works better in Boston than it does in New Orleans; in Novosibirsk than it does in Moscow.

Chinese comrades' concerns about this is also obvious. No people will like being painted as retardedly aggressive (which they will have to be to invade Russia alone, nevermind the mad scheme they embarked on in the book, and yes, the Imperial Japanese were retardedly aggressive). And obviously they will have concerns about whether there are many Americans who view them as such. I don't suppose it is much comfort to be told that it is merely a technothriller, but that cannot be helped, I suppose, you do have to have a villain in such a work.

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Ultimately, it seems to me your work, beyond the technothriller aspects of it (which I enjoyed, though I find some of the protectionist sentiments expressed somewhat alarming), was more a parable for Americans than for us the rest of the world, and perhaps we should really read it as such.

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Jeff Head said:

The modification process for these carriers (fictionally, in the book) would add kevlar and other light armor to the critical spaces...and balance out from a balast standpoint so the carriers would be very sea worthy for air operations. I do not believe you can get the type of power projection and the size and composition of air wing I invisioned with these carriers, into a 6-15,000 ton platform.

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goldenpanda said:

Agree with all points. Just want to add, even Japanese were not "retardedly aggressive". They kept trying to end the war in China (on unacceptable terms to Chinese) and backed off from Soviet Union after 1939 defeat. As for Pearl Harbor, well there was a giant fleet between them and the oil they needed.

Another comment is I doubt you'll find much interest in "what government works well". If a government is non-threating it will be assumed to work well, while a threatening one becomes morally intolerable.

I will say megalomania flows everywhere. I have found Chinese drawing up retardedly aggressive "maps of the future". But they don't put the detail, attention, and thoroughness to their expansionist dream as Jeff has. Perhaps that is what makes this parable ultimately scary.

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utelore said:

This is a really good book so far and it is called the Dragons fury....again it is a great read so far....cheers ute.

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Tasman said:

What Jeff needed to do was set up a scenario where the defeat of the West became a distinct possibility. In establishing CAS and the GIR I think he achieved that. Of course he also needed suitable villains, compliant (if reluctant) supporters like the President of India for example, misguided martyrs prepared to die for their cause, and brilliant scientists and engineers.

There were many things I really liked about the book. As a naval enthusiast I really enjoyed the way PLAN secretly developed its carrier force and its "Killer Whales", the LRASD that took such heavy toll on the USN and its allies. The constant upgrading of these weapons and the constantly evolving countermeasures adopted by the Americans were, IMO, a very accurate portrayal of what actually happens in a major war. A major war can also accelerate the development of a totally new weapon and the orbital bombardment weapon released from space was a good example of this.

Cheers

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Jeff Head said:

Tasman, sorry I missed this last comment of yours. Thanks for the kind words and for the explanations. They are pretty spot on. At some point I am considering now a series of seperate, stand-alone novels about detailed aspects of the overall war. Shorter, maybe 200 page novels about various detailed aspects of the overall series that are not tied together at all, other than through the backdrop of the larger story.

Perhaps I can work a Tasmania "coach watcher" or other aspect as one of those stories. Perhaps allied recon forces landing off of subs there and working with locals during the years Australia is occupied.

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Tasman said:

G'day Jeff,

I will certainly look forward to any of the 'stand alone' novels you are talking about and I would be more than happy to provide any details re Tassie that might be useful in a novel involving the island state along the lines you have mentioned. PM me re this if you wish.

Cheers

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Gollevainen said:

OK, just needed to cut out 6 post that were purely political ranting. I would love to give warnings over it, but that would have ment one permanent ban, two temporary ban and a warning to a vip-member so I remain mercyfull this time....But let this be last time, expecially when memebers like Violet Oboe and Unit88 actually made me understand that they knew that such discussion is not allowed, but yet they still continued it:nono:

Gollevainen
Super Moderator

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