Synopses & Reviews
This is the first explanation and evaluation of Taiwan's defence forces and infrastructure. It examines not only Taiwan's armed forces, but also its Ministry of National Defence, personnel issues, and civil-military relations.
This book provides crucial base-line data and evaluation of one of the major participants in an ongoing crisis across the Taiwan Strait that has the potential of involving China and the United States in armed conflict. It examines the danger of a possibly nuclear conflict between China and the United States which would seriously disrupt all of East Asia. It also shows how Taiwan's defence policies and actions do not match the threat - Taipei needs to develop and pursue realistic policies.
This is essential reading for all students of East Asian security and Sino-American relations and of international and security studies in general.
Synopsis
When Chiang Kai-shek fled from mainland China, his military was in disarray. Today, it appears to be a modern, well-equipped and well-trained force. But how capable is it? This book offers the first in-depth explanation and evaluation of Taiwan's defense forces and infrastructure. The author not only examines in detail each of Taiwan's military services, with descriptions of their organization, equipment, and personnel but also assesses the defense infrastructure as a whole with a focus on the ongoing attempt to civilianize that organization.
As the Taiwan Strait remains the focus of international tension between China and the United States this volume provides essential base-data and evaluation of the one of the major participants in this crisis and in this concluding part offers a comparative framework of Taiwan versus PRC militaries, with analysis of likely future developments between the two states, based on that comparison.
This book will be essential reading for students of Asian security, Asian politics, International Relations and Security Studies as well as to analysts and policy-makers.