I agree. But here is some other information to mull over.Devoneaux said:
Since most of their power comes form coal powered plants and dams we would just strike those along with their ports and airfields. After that, a naval blockade with more attacks on their industrial facilities, military bases, government buildings, and roadways would pretty much cripple the nation of china.
Granted, China would retaliate and we would see many losses (I wouldn't put it past them to use kamikaze tactics with their aircraft...or anything else for that matter). But most of China's military power either is Soviet Era technology or is a poor imitation of Soviet Era technology. They do have some good planes, tanks, and guns and in vast numbers as well to compliment their population. But without factories, power, and roads those numbers are useless.
The U.S.A.'s military strength lies in its ability move large amounts of troops and military hardware to far away locations fast and accurately. The PRC on the other hand does not have the logistical capability to do this due to the lack of a blue water navy. Remember, having the largest army on Earth means little if you cannot move it anywhere.
As for ground forces, yes we would have to move troops in. Wars are won by boots on the ground. Not planes, ships, or anything else. But troops to occupy the land of the opposing nation. The United State's could wage a war of containment (i.e. a siege), but those become costly. So unless the U.S.A. intends to conquer and suck resources from a defeated China we most likely would not blockade the nation for long. Probably long enough until they would come to the table.
Worst case scenario is that the above mention actions would lead to a nuclear war. While the PRC has aged technology they are sufficient to deliver WMD's to countries such as Japan, Russia, India, and its other neighbors like the Philippines and Korea to name some. This would be unlikely but if the PRC's leaders feel they have no other option then I wouldn't put it past them to try and burn the world. Would be nice to have a missile shield of some sort right now.
And lastly, the above mentioned scenarios and actions are all based on one thing: a United States government and people willing to commit to a war between nations. A war with China, even a blockade would probably last 10 to 20 years with after effects continuing for another 20 years or so (and that's being impractically optimistic with the numbers). The United States of America would need an administration and populace willing to take such actions and keep them up until the threat is neutralized. This is very unlikely due to a variety of reasons.
The most likely scenario's are that the People's Republic of China will continue contesting Southeast Asia, raising tensions in the region. This could cause countries like the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, and others to explore more aggressive defenses if not outright military build ups to counter the threat. This could either involve the U.S. militarily or politically (negotiations or U.N. petitions, though such actions would be futile). China could also begin exerting economic pressure on smaller Asian powers in an attempt to influence them or have them capitulate to Chinese aid, and thus Chinese political influence. Such actions could also cause a price rise on consumer goods, further increasing strain on the worlds economy.
Another scenario is that this is just China trying rattle the saber and see what happens. If that is the case, we should see this die down in the following months along with tensions in the region. Now while both scenario's sound like some poor story plot this has happened before with other nations. All one has to do is look at our history. The same games have been pulled before.
Another scenario is that this is just China trying rattle the saber and see what happens. If that is the case, we should see this die down in the following months along with tensions in the region. Now while both scenario's sound like some poor story plot this has happened before with other nations. All one has to do is look at our history. The same games have been pulled before.
