I’ve been down the spine of that island by train. Nothing but mountains till you’re near the coast, with deep water ports for resupply at both ends. It would be a tough nut to crack. Chang picked his refuge well.
China will find that Taiwan will not be an easy place to conquer.
China will be cutting her own arm by attacking Taiwan.
The Chinese Communists have drilled into the head of their population that Taiwan is always and forever theirs, and no price is too great to pay.
I’ve always thought the best policy for Taiwan to follow would be that of the Swiss. Send every recruit home with his battle rifle. Bring them back once per year for updating and training.
Having 5 million armed civilians to subdue would give even the most bloody-minded Communist pause
Taiwanese would never accept that for their society though. They are very soft and they admire the statist, socialist societies of places like Sweden.
The US Navy wanted to by-pass the Philippines and take Formosa instead. MacArthur prevailed, legend has it, because of his ability to persuade President Roosevelt of the need to keep our commitment there. But the fact of the topography of Formosa was an important factor too.