Chinese Regional Forces as Political Actors

Le résumé fourni par la source

This chapter discusses those historical characteristics of Chinese regional forces most relevant to their role as political actors prior to 1949. It then examines the subsequent evolution of these characteristics under the communist regime, stressing the impact of recent military reforms on the role of the group armies and their subordinate units as autonomous or quasi-autonomous actors in the political system. Early guerrilla units, formed into columns, divisions, and brigades, emerged from relatively small base areas and subsequently evolved into much larger regional corps and armies, and ultimately, huge field armies encompassing several provinces. Organizationally, the initial association between the huge field armies and specific geographic areas that emerged in the early years of the People&s;s Republic has been blurred almost beyond recognition. Despite the enormous changes of the past forty years, Chinese regional forces still retain several important links with the past, and have also developed some new features, that together suggest their continued importance to conflict among elites.

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