Posted on 08/21/2020 6:04:01 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Roaring out of the sky, an F-16V fighter jet lands smoothly to rearm and refuel on an unremarkable freeway in rural Taiwan, surrounded by rice paddies.
In different circumstances, this could be alarming sight. Taiwan's fighter pilots are trained to land on freeways between sorties in case all of the island's airports have been occupied or destroyed by an invasion.
Luckily, this was a training exercise.
There's only really one enemy that Taiwan's armed forces are preparing to resist -- China's People's Liberation Army (PLA). And as China's reputation as an economic and military superpower has grown in recent years, so too has that threat of invasion, according to security experts.
Taiwan has been self-governed since separating from China at the end of a brutal civil war in 1949, but Beijing has never given up hope of reuniting with what it considers a renegade province.
At a regional security conference in June, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said: "If anyone dares to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese military has no choice but to fight at all costs for national unity." In some shops in mainland China, you can buy postcards and T-shirts emblazoned with patriotic emblems promoting the retaking of Taiwan.
But for seven decades, China has resisted attacking Taiwan partly for political reasons, including the prospect of a US intervention and the potential heavy human toll. But the practical realities of a full-blown invasion are also daunting for the PLA, according to experts.
Ferrying hundreds of thousands of troops across the narrow Taiwan Strait to a handful of reliable landing beaches, in the face of fierce resistance, is a harrowing prospect. Troops would then have a long slog over Taiwan's western mudflats and mountains to reach the capital, Taipei.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
That large Red Chinese military equipment inventory is scattered over a huge land area. Like Israel, Taiwan is only defending a small area, with short internal logistics lines.
If I were a Chinese general I would first hit Tiawan with a massive barrage of neutron-tipped cruise missiles and EMP weapons that would wipe out Taiwanese manpower and degrade their electronics. It could go on for a day or so. Then use overwhelming force to gain air superiority. After that the Chinese could commandeer all manner of fishing boats and other civilian craft to move soldiers in to the beaches — think Dunkirk in reverse.
If the US does not intervene, ie if we were distracted by civil unrest or natural disaster as another poster listed, it would work.
In fact, I believe the Chinese military already has several plans like this ready to implement should the US be distracted. Just waiting for the right moment. Sort of like the protests in the US that were “spontaneous” once the George Floyd incident took place.
That's not true. There were active hostilities throughout the 1950's. The occasional artillery bombardment of the Taiwanese island of Kinmen occurred for many decades afterwards.
Here's a map showing Quemoy and Matsu.
(your calling Quemoy island Kinmen suggests
a. You're not from around here.
b. You received your information thru Red Chinese sources
c. You might be a PRC troll...you wouldn't be the first)
The USA would not stand by and let it happen. Assuming we have Trump again, I think it would be a great excuse for Trump to end all trade relations with China. If its Biden may God help us all.
SOURCE: [Fake news] CNN
That’s all you need to know
China doesn’t need to invade the island. All China has to do is create a blockade, cutting off food, oil and other shipments.
The question is, is Taiwan more like Switzerland 1938 or Austria 1938?
My money’s on “Austria”.
There is ZERO chance that the US would go to war over Taiwan.
And there is no treaty which obligates us to defend Taiwan, at least not a treaty that was ever ratified by the Senate.
In fact, current US legislation FORBIDS the President to engage in hostilities over Taiwan unless directed to do so by Congress, which of course Congress would never do.
If we have to lose a few cities, lets hope it's those. Within a few hours China would be reduced to the stone age.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.