Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!rutgers!att!cbnews!military
From: ssc-vax!sml@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Stuart Lewis)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: People's Liberation Army
Summary: Urban warfare
Message-ID: <7247@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 8 Jun 89 01:01:37 GMT
References: <7198@cbnews.ATT.COM>
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From: ssc-vax!sml@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Stuart Lewis)

In article <7198@cbnews.ATT.COM>, dave@questar.QUESTAR.MN.ORG (David Becker) writes:
> 
> 
> >From the news reports this division of loyalty seems to be a long time
> part of the PLA's structure.  Is this impression correct?
>
I just heard this a.m. from C.B.S. radio that the various armies are
still closely structured after the old fuedal, war-lord type of
organization with each army particularly loyal to their provicial or
geographic region and each armies commanders garner a great deal of
power and influence.  They also may or may not carry out orders if
they think they are powerful enough to buck them (obviously so,
since this has already happened).  Another interesting note I picked
up from CNN a few days ago: since the Bejing army refused to march
on the students, the task was given to the 27th - the Mongolian
army.  The belief is that they (the hard line authority), is using
race differences to play the one army off against the protesters -
the Mongolians generally do not care for the rest of the country to
the south of their province [remember, this is just the news I
heard, not necc'ly my opinions].  Backing up this belief is the fact
that it was this army that was sent to Tibet a little while back to
put down the Monks and seperatists.  There are very distinct racial
and cultural differences throughout China.  Think about, say, an
army in the U.S. southwest composed entirely of American Indians
being sent against an army in the northest - or a black army unit
going against a white army - interesting political strategy.

> Now what readers of this group will really want to see is wild
> speculation on what an urban battle between the two armies would be
> like.
> 
> -- 
> David Becker 
> and another bug bites, and another bug bites   another bug bites the dust
> db@kolonel.MN.ORG

What wild speculation?  Ever heard of Stalingrad?  Or, more recently
but on a smaller scale, Hue?  Urban warfare is a meat grinder that
goes from block to block, building to building, and even room to
room (again, think Stalingrad or the Russians siege of Berlin). 
This type of warfare was fairly
commonplace during the Korean War during the UN's march north, up
the peninsula - not so much during the retreat back south from the
Chinese; they were too occupied just trying to keep ahead of the
onslaught. 

I don't believe the situation will get that bad though - my guess is
that the 27th will lay day their arms given the alternative.

Stuart Lewis
ssc-vax!sml