Fatal Terrain

by Dale Brown

  ended in disaster, thanks to the United States Air Force, the

  political ties still held firm, and there was no doubt that China

  was becoming a major economic, political, and military force

  in Asia.

  "A very positive attitude, Comrade General," Jiang said.

  But what about the Americans? What will their response be?

  In the past, they have threatened nuclear war with Zhongguo

  to protect the Nationalists. Only the threat of nuclear war kept

  us from reoccupying Quemoy in 1958."

  "The Americans have no interest in the region, and they

  certainly have no stomach for nuclear war," Chin said confi-

  dently. "We have historical and legal rights to Taiwan, a fact

  that has never been disputed by the Americans. Even after the

  Philippines conflict, America has no presence in the area. Pri-

  vate American companies assisted us in exploiting the wealth

  of the region-that is the extent of American presence. As

  always, their government's policy is dictated by the capitalist

  overlords, and for now the capitalists demand that they help

  us exploit the oil deposits, so they dictate that their government

  step aside. But now it is our time to enjoy what is rightfully

  and legally ours.

  "The United States will complain of our actions, but the

  deed will be done, and after time the conflict will be forgot-

  ten," Chin went on in a loud, demonstrative voice. "China

  invests twenty-seven billion dollars a year in the United States;

  we are responsible for creating ten million jobs in that country

  alone. They dare not start a war that might result in our country

  withdrawing all that economic support. Their carriers are not

  in position to oppose us. Why? Because they fear our eco-

  nomic power, and they fear an unpopular and costly war for

  a province they do not care about-Taiwan. The United States

  wants China united again. They do not want a divided China

  because they have suffered defeat in every other such conflict

  in Asia-Korea and Vietnam. They fight for a nation that cares

  nothing about the United States, and they are defeated. They

  will not fight for Taiwan."

  There was a general nodding of heads in the commission

  chamber, Jiang observed-all except Admiral Sun. The Black

  Tiger had been the most enthusiastic and vocal supporter of

  the idea of asserting dominance in Asia; now, when the actual

  framework of a plan was introduced, he was silent. Sun was

  56 DALE BROWN

  not brooding or resentful because he had been slapped down

  by General Chin.

  ... and then Jiang realized that Admiral Sun actually dared

  to disagree with his superior officer, in the middle of a Central

  Military Commission meeting! Sun was still sitting on his

  hands, not averting his eyes but not meeting Chin's murderous

  gaze either. To everyone's surprise, Jiang turned to the youn-

  gest of all his generals and asked, "Comrade Sun, do you

  agree with General Chin's assessment?"

  Sun moved slowly to his feet, riveting the attention of all.

  He stood and bowed to Jiang, then said, "Sir, Sun-tzu advises

  us that being unconquerable lies within oneself, and that being

  conquerable lies within the enemy. In that regard, I agree with

  General Chin-we must quickly retake Taiwan, capture and

  imprison all Kuomintang officials, and heavily fortify it with

  our best naval, air, and air defense forces. But with all due

  respect, I do not agree with General Chin regarding an attack

  on Quemoy, or about the Americans."

  "Oh? Explain yourself, Admiral."

  "Comrade General Chin is quite correct: the American cap-

  italists and special interests determine the law and direction of

  government in the United States," Sun went on. "The Amer-

  ican government does not interfere in the South China Sea

  because the American oil companies profit by operating the

  drilling platforms; they do not side with the Nationalists be-

  cause it is in their . economic interests to side with us. But if

  we bombard Taiwan or Quemoy and imprison or kill the Na-

  tionalist leadership, they will seek retribution from the Amer-

  ican government and its military forces. And as mighty as the

  People's Liberation Army is, we cannot long stand against a

  strong, determined, organized American military. It would be

  a complete failure. My former commander of the South China

  Sea Fleet, Admiral Yin Po L'un, acting on orders from General

  Chin, proved this.

  "In my opinion, the Nationalist forces on Quemoy can eas-

  ily withstand a blockade, bombardment, and even a full-scale

  invasion long enough for the United States to organize a coun-

  terattack," Sun went on. "Meanwhile, our country would suf-

  fer the anger of world opinion. We would be twice defeated."

  General Chin looked as if he were about to explode; the

  other generals shifted restlessly, offended but interested

  enough to want to hear more before they tore off this insolent

  ML

  FATAL T E R RAI N 57

  pup's stars. What nerve! Jiang thought. What coura e! Sun

  could be dead in four hours-Chin could never allow Sun to

  remain on his general staff after this blatant show of disrespect,

  and Jiang knew of Chin's henchmen that would work secretly

  and effectively to cause Sun to have an untimely, unexplained

  "accident"-but Jiang admired him his youthful strength and

  audacity. Chin thundered, "I order you to leave this chamber

  and report to-"'

  Jiang raised a hand. "I wish for the young admiral to con-

  tinue," he said, then turned his hand palm upward, a signal to

  continue. Chin looked as if he had been slapped-he even

  rubbed his face, as if still feeling the blow. Jiang said, "So,

  Comrade Admiral, you think we-cannot prevail against the

  Americans?"

  "Not in a direct engagement with an organized, determined,

  and bloodthirsty American military force, sir," Sun replied.

  "The American military-any large military force, including

  our own-is like a large, heavy sledgehammer. It is unwieldy

  and takes great strength to employ, but once in action, it is

  highly effective. Hammer against hammer, army against army,

  the American military is clearly superior, and Sun-tzu teaches

  us to evade a superior opponent.

  "But the buzzing of a single mosquito, the hot rays of the

  sun, or a single bead of sweat in the eyes can disrupt he who

  wields the hammer enough so that his blows are less effective,

  or can even prevent him from swinging the hammer altogether.

  Even more important, if the target of the hammer's blow is

  small, irregular, or moves too quickly, even the best smith can

  miss his mark. After several ineffective blows, the strongest

  smith will tire, lose patience, make mistakes, and eventually

  cease. He has lost. He has been defeated by a vastly inferior

  force-and he has been defeated by himself.

  "Sir, I have studied the tao of the American military, and

  I have examined our tao, and my studies conclude that the
<
br />   mericans have no desire for prolonged battle in Asia. Asia

  in general and China in particular have an aura of deadly mys-

  tery and foreboding for Westerners-they fear China's mas-

  sive population, its history of violence and warfare, our

  homogeneous society, and the knowledge we have gained over

  centuries of civilization. Americans in particular are reluctant

  to have anything to do with us, fearing to be drawn into an-

  other protracted Vietnam-like battle-they fear traveling far

  58 DALE BROWN

  from home, of being drawn into a dark tunnel of mystery and

  killed by punji sticks and knives carried by billions of tiny

  yellow hands. And they are far weaker than they appear. The

  American navy is three-fourths the size it was in 1991 after

  the Persian Gulf War; the American air force is almost half

  the size. American forces in Japan, including Okinawa, have

  been cut in half since 1992. And for all their bluster about

  safeguarding Taiwan, the United States still has not recognized

  the Nationalist government and still has no embassy, consulate,

  bases, soldiers, advisors, or equipment there. During the Olym-

  pic games last year, the Americans even referred to the rebel

  government as 'Chinese Taipei,' not as 'Taiwan' or the 'Re-

  public of China.'

  "But even so, Comrade General Chin is wrong-the Amer-

  ican president Martindale will send in his carriers," Sun went

  on. "Two of them are within four days' steaming time to

  Taiwan, and within two weeks a third will join them. The U.

  government claims that the three carriers will rendezvous

  somewhere in the Philippine Sea for what they term a 'photo

  opportunity,' because one of the carriers supposedly will be

  decommissioned, but we all know that these carriers are ren-

  dezvousing to set up an attack on our homeland. They will set

  up east of Taiwan so they can take advantage of air defense

  protection from Taiwan and appear not to be concerned about

  events in China, but close enough so they can conduct air

  attacks on our ships and land bases if war breaks out. We must

  not blindly cruise within range of the Americans' carrier-based

  attack planes. Instead, we must draw the carriers toward us. T

  "The key to victory over the Americans is contained in the

  words of Sun-tzu: we must draw their carriers away from the

  protection of the Nationalists' air defense forces and into 'fatal

  terrain'-that is, a battleground where they must be uncon-

  querable, where they must fight with reckless abandon and

  complete disregard for any protest against the campaign, or

  face total defeat. In order to draw them into fatal terrain, we

  must force them to come to the rescue or force them to inter-

  vene with the thought of preventing a conflict. That conflict is

  Taiwan, comrades. In the confines of the Strait, we can destroy

  the carriers. At the same time, we strike at the most likely

  resupply and air staging base in the area: Okinawa. Once Oki-

  nawa is destroyed, American forces will be forced to stage out

  FATAL TE R RAI N 59

  of the heart of Japan, and so the threat to Japan becomes

  clear-"

  "You speak in double-talk, Sun," General Chin shouted.

  "You talk about dancing around the American carriers, but

  then talk about a ftill frontal assault on Okinawa. How do you

  expect to destroy one of the Americans' strongest bases, com-

  rade?"

  Without one change in his expression or voice, Admiral Sun

  said matter-of-factly, "We should by all means use our nuclear

  arsenal. "

  The reaction was swift and powerful-and all of it against

  Sun. President Jiang called for order, and his command was

  echoed by the sergeant-at-arms and his officers. Jiang said

  crossly, "Admiral Sun, you are to be reprimanded once again

  for your impertinence and ignorance. It is obvious you are not

  familiar with the Party's policy on the use of nuclear, chemi-

  cal, or biological weapons."

  "If I may speak, sir-I am very familiar with the Com-

  munist Party's policy," Sun said. "The government of China

  and the Chinese Communist Party officially rejects the first

  use of nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons because it con-

  flicts with the ideals of peaceful unification of all the peoples

  of the world under socialism. I studied the policy towards the

  use of special weapons in both the National Academy and the

  College of War, and advised the office of the pren-fier on its

  implementation."

  "Then you should know that no one on this Commission

  or the Communist Party is suggesting or even contemplating

  the use of nuclear weapons against the Americans, Admiral."

  "On the contrary, sir, I know their use is contemplated quite

  often," Sun said, calmly but firmly. "I know exactly at what

  bases they are kept, how many, and which missiles and ships

  carry them-including the carrier Mao Zedong."

  General Chin looked as if he was ready to murder Sun with

  his bare hands. "Sit down, damn you, Sun!" he ordered from

  between clenched teeth. "Be silent!"

  "I will not be silent!" Admiral Sun said. His voice rang

  like a shot through the Commission chamber, and it had the

  same effect as if a real gun had been fired in that room. "We

  seem content to have our foreign policy dictated by the Amer-

  icans, even though the Americans have no cohesive policy

  with regards to Asia except the furtherance of fair trade-fair

  60 DALE BROWN

  only to themselves, of course. The threat of American military

  intervention paralyzes this commission, even though we have

  it in our power to reduce or perhaps eliminate the force of

  American intervention, or even whether or not they will

  choose to intervene."

  "I order you, be silent, Sun!" Chin shouted. "Be seated!"

  "Wait, General," Jiang said. He motioned to Sun. "Speak,

  Adn-firal, but be warned-your fitness for your post will be

  determined by what you say here to this commission."

  "I will accept that, sir," Sun said resolutely. "Comrade

  President, members of this commission, the Party and our gov-

  emment has said that it wishes our country first to reunify with

  the pieces lost to us b foreign conquests-namely, Senkaku

  Dao, Formosa Dao, and Nansha Dao-and second to make

  China the preeminent power in Asia for all time. These are

  worthy goals. I believe we have the support of the people,

  which Sun-tzu says is necessary before the ruler may charge

  the generals with preparations for war, and so we should carry

  out this mandate immediately.

  "But it is obvious to me, as I am sure it is to you, that the

  United States, by its foreign policy and tremendous military

  might, is the dominant force in Asia now. We do not retake

  Formosa, Quemoy, or Matsu from the Nationalists because we

  fear American intervention. We do not retake the Senkaku

  Islands, taken from us by Japan, again for fear of retaliation

  from the Americans. But we have retaken the Nansha Dao, />
  what the West calls the Spratly Islands, and America has done

  nothing-in fact, American companies help us pump oil and

  natural gas out of fields we took from other countries. America

  does not care about what happens in Asia, as long as it does

  not affect their bottom line-their ability to make money.

  "But our very political and social framework is under attack

  by America. They try to influence our laws, tell us not to limit

  how many children our families can have, or tell us to buy

  more automobiles, televisions, and blue jeans or else they will

  not permit our goods to be sold anywhere in the world. This

  evil influence is strangling our very souls, comrades, and I see

  no solution except one: remove the Americans from Asia, per-

  manently. This means destroy the American aircraft carriers

  and destroy the main American military staging base on the

  island of Okinawa. We have no choice, comrades."

  You are advocating nuclear war with the Americans?"

  FATAL T ER RAI N 6 1

  General Chin retorted. "Are you insane, Sun? It will spell

  certain annihilation!

  "Nuclear war with America is not inevitable, Comrade Gen-

  eral," Sun said. "America has almost completely eliminated

  its ability to wage nuclear war-they believe it is unthinkable

  and unnecessary, given their perceived conventional weapons

  technological superiority. In a war that does not threaten

  American lives or territory, my studies conclude that America,

  even led by a hawk such as their president Kevin Martindale,

  will not launch a nuclear strike against us. But if we are de-

  termined to win, then we must acknowledge that we shall use

  nuclear weapons against the Americans. We can be secure in

  the knowledge that America will not retaliate with nuclear

  weapons unless their homeland is attacked, and that even if

  they do employ nuclear weapons against us, we can withstand

  the attack as a nation.

  We can use our subatomic arsenal, our neutron bombs, to

  eradicate the Nationalist forces on Quemoy and Matsu-

  quickly, before the Americans can react," Sun said. "We can

  hide the attack behind a blockade and bombardment, but the