Abstract
This article studies a hitherto unexplored dimension of the Chinese Civil War: the disparity between modern military technology and the conceptual and logistical capacities of the two warring sides. The author argues that the advanced weaponry, received by the Nationalists from their ally, the United States, but often captured on the battlefield by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) forces, proved to be a liability because the Chinese armies, burdened by insufficient logistical capability and antiquated military thinking, were unable to use the weaponry effectively. By examining the intersection of Chinese and modern Western ways of warfare and technological capacities, the author contends that the difficulties experienced by the Chinese leaders in sustaining a modern army created technophobic misperceptions that had a significant effect on their decision-making. In this sense, the implication of this article transcends the Chinese Civil War history and solidifies often-abstract discussions about “modernity” and “tradition”.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Modern China |
Publication status | Accepted/In press - 2008 |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Other Social Sciences
Free keywords
- modernity
- Chinese Civil War
- revolution in military affairs
- military decision making