OCR
XeAcNOol 3. for VYecember 1952. THE SITUATION IN ChINAs tn a ne One of the most important features of the evolution in China has been, in recent times, that is to say this automn, a change over in the .lannings for the organization of the Chinese People's Army. Hitherto, as we pointed out in many previous dispatches, the organizational planning of the Chinese Red Army was essentially a short-range effort. Before and during the first ph&ses of the Korean war, the main point was to get forces ready as fast as possible and to give them at least some battle training, regardless of cagualities. ‘his way, the “hinese Army was saceessfully built up to a powerful war weapon, but the great disadvantage of the proc ding was that subh feverish activity was often sacrificing qualitiy to speed and quantity. In discussion on the matter, the Chinese political leaders nevertheless always emphasized the need of going fast, since the cv ntingencétes of the world situation demanded a readiness as fast as possiblee With the middle 6f this year, the Situation has becom such that, in the estimate of Mao-Tse-tung, and his military advisors, a stage has been reached, in which the Yhinese People's Army has sufficiently progressed in order to secure the saféty of the country and such limiited operations as might be called for, iff a limited expansion program. In other words, according to Chinese governmental estimates, the @hinese Army can assure domestic safety and is sufficiently trained for operations in the size of the Korean war, possibly the intervention in ¥ormosa and Localized operations in XmigoIndochina. On the other hand, the Chinese Army is not yet ready for a global conflicte At the time when this assessment was made, in the latter parts of the summsr of this year, the well-trained Infantry force of Red China contained a force of 4,700.000 men. Of these, 2,800.000 men composed the five field Armies together of 460 divisions. 1,900.06 men composed the so-called garrison Army in “hinae “he aku only partly trained reserve of varying value, was established at 12 million men of partisans and political po.ice forces, as well as territorial denfense units. these forces are suppl mented by an “ir force, of 1-250 fighter planes, 800 of which are jet fighters, ana of 300 bombers. Both fighterxs and bombers, with the exception of the few rather old trainer planes, are of Russian make, In most instances, the technical parts of the maintenance troops are still Russian. The fleet is rather weak and composed mainly of lighter boats, the heaviest being a 5.000 tons cruiser. There are 30 submarines, based in Talien and in Yulin. “ut these 50 submarines are all old, world war II. types and should be considered rather as trainers, since their usefulness in active warfare against a modern fleet would be 4g.