Comments on: They could crack a line https://www.isegoria.net/2020/12/they-could-crack-a-line/ From the ancient Greek for equality in freedom of speech; an eclectic mix of thoughts, large and small Sun, 07 Jun 2026 23:10:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: Kirk https://www.isegoria.net/2020/12/they-could-crack-a-line/comment-page-1/#comment-3315044 Kirk Tue, 15 Dec 2020 18:17:45 +0000 https://www.isegoria.net/?p=47327#comment-3315044 Exactly so… The biggest advantage the Chinese had in the Korean war was, paradoxically, the primitive and simple nature of their forces.

Of course, they compensated for that with sophisticated tactics and operational plans, which played into our weaknesses. The US military is like a giant three-year old, flailing around and crashing into everything. If you’re a smaller opponent relying on sophistication, like the Germans, you’re screwed. If you’re relying on the elan of your troops, and their sheer martial prowess, well… Yeah. Look at Japan. No amount of Bushido warrior spirit is going to overcome a stream of B-29s over your cities…

China did as well as it did in Korea mostly because they offered nothing in the way of targets to our firepower. Same-same with the VC and the NVA during the early days of Vietnam.

Ironically, when they did resort to a conventional attack the way we fought, the US Congress had cut off aid to South Vietnam, and they won using techniques that would have played right into our hands, allowing a second crushing of the invasion columns. Stupid Congress… But, that’s the nature of the beast.

]]> By: Altitude Zero https://www.isegoria.net/2020/12/they-could-crack-a-line/comment-page-1/#comment-3315024 Altitude Zero Tue, 15 Dec 2020 13:34:03 +0000 https://www.isegoria.net/?p=47327#comment-3315024 But of course, a modern force would have suffered from the same “road bound” problems that our forces did, and would have lost many of their advantages. As with so many things, their advantages were the flip side of their vulnerabilities.

]]> By: Bob Sykes https://www.isegoria.net/2020/12/they-could-crack-a-line/comment-page-1/#comment-3315022 Bob Sykes Tue, 15 Dec 2020 13:30:24 +0000 https://www.isegoria.net/?p=47327#comment-3315022 And yet, the Chinese pushed us all the way back to the starting point. If they had had a modern army, air force, and navy, they would have pushed us off the peninsula.

Now they have all three.

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