Can you detail the cultural limitations that you are talking about? That descriptor is pretty vague.
Can you detail the cultural limitations that you are talking about? That descriptor is pretty vague.
I'd equate it to those limitations to those that were very apparent in Soviet Russia. Talk star wars, but when push comes to shove, act caveman.Originally Posted by tequila
In the same way that I never did rate the Soviet Army in any way, except for mass, I don't see anything in the PLA that makes me think they are any better. Modernisation will get them to about where we were in the late 1980's. I don't see training and leadership as anywhere near what most NATO armies have.
Infinity Journal "I don't care if this works in practice. I want to see it work in theory!"
- The job of the British Army out here is to kill or capture Communist Terrorists in Malaya.
- If we can double the ratio of kills per contact, we will soon put an end to the shooting in Malaya.
Sir Gerald Templer, foreword to the "Conduct of Anti-Terrorist Operations in Malaya," 1958 Edition
Agreed
I would tend to agree with you about the quality of the forces as a whole.
When you look at training good leaders (NCO's, Officers, Specialization of branches) they will always have problems with any real accomplishment in these areas as long as the cultural tendencies keep class, position, etc ahead of ingenuity, and capability of an individual.
Just as in any company you may train and have excellent skillsets among your workforce but hierachial thinking will keep you from taking advantages almost every time.
Not to mention throwing into the mix the efforts to play both sides of the table, (socialism / Capitalism) at the same time really does bring it's own set of challenges.
Right Sizing the People's Liberation Army: Exploring the Contours of China's Military Edited by Roy Kamphausen and Andrew Scobell
-See particularly Chapter 7 by Dennis Blasko.
"PLA Doctrine on Securing Energy Resources in Central Asia" by Martin Andrew
-Description of the reorganization of some Group Armies into pseudo-Soviet-style Operational Manoeuvre Groups.
The PLA provides only two months' basic training after each yearly induction in November. After that, it's OJT; recruits, who serve for only two years, are considered "trained" six months after their induction. Each Battalion is on a 9-10 month annual training cycle, breaking for 2-3 months starting in November each year to provide Basic Training for recruits and the NCO Course and Basic Officer Training. And some people think our 12-month training cycle is bad (it is, but not as bad as the PLA's). Many officers recruited from University now only receive 2 or 3 months basic training before receiving OJT in their Battalions, although 3/4 of these are technical specialists; most Combat Arms officers still receive a year's training. NCOs, all of whom are former recruits selected to remain in the PLA after their 2-year obligation, perform nearly all technical tasks.
There is more initiative allowed than in the Russian Army, and training is often of rather better quality. In the past, the PLA relied on rigid obedience to orders from Platoon to Battalion because of a lack of radios, but that is now changed; the Squad level has normally featured a certain allowance for initiative. But Combined-Arms operations at Unit level still seem to be somewhat shaky in areas. Infantry weapons-handling and battlecraft (except in certain elite units) appears more akin to that of the US Army circa very early 1980's, in both content and performance.
Try this math test.
Now I did A level maths and chemistry - a very long time ago - but I loved this Chinese test for students considering a science based course.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/6589301.stm
How did you do? If you have kids thinking of University would they do?
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