Remember why Truman chose to nuke Nagasaki and Hiroshima? Estimates were up to a million dead to defeat Japan on their home islands. And that was against an already defeated enemy with no access to oil or natural resources, with few munitions left available and whose industry was a shambles.
Now think of Taiwan, with 70 years of being threatened by Chinese invasion, 70 years to prep, 70 years to build hardened defenses around the island, 70 years to train and prepare, to draw and redraw battle plans for any and all contingencies, with some of the newest and best weapons of war in the world and huge stockpiles of munitions.
Now add in the challenging topography. The shallow western approaches that would be choked with sunken Chinese warships. The scarcity of natural harbors.
Taiwan perches on the margin of the continental shelf. Along the west coast the sea is rather shallow, averaging 90 m (300 ft) and not exceeding 210 m (690 ft) at the deepest point; however, it deepens abruptly along the east coast, dropping to a depth of 4,000 m (13,000 ft) only 50 km (31 mi) offshore.
The terrain is precipitous on the east coast, with practically no natural harbor except Suao Bay in the north. The west coast is marked by wide tidal flats. Kaohsiung, the southern port, is situated in a long lagoon called Haochiung Bay. The north coast with its many inlets provides Taiwan with its best harbor, Chilung (Keelung).
The eastern two-thirds of the island is composed of rugged foothill ranges and massive mountain chains. A low, flat coastal plain, extending from north to south, occupies the western third. Yü Shan, with an elevation of 3,997 m (13,113 ft), is the highest peak on the island. Mild earthquake tremors are common.
All the rivers originate in the mountains in the central part of the island. They have short courses and rapid streams. The longest river, Choshui, draining westward, is only 190 km (118 mi) long. Only the Tanshui, which flows past T'aipei in the north, is navigable.
Read more: https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Taiwan-TOPOGRAPHY.html#ixzz7aknCyKZ8
If China were to invade there would be millions of dead on both sides. Chinas military would be decimated and unlikely to recover for the next 30 to 50 years, leaving the mainland open to either invasion or mass civil unrest. It would bankrupt them. China as we know it now would cease to exist.
Im pretty sure China understands this and that is why they havent attempted to invade sooner. If they really wanted it they would have done so right after Chiang fled there.
Remember why Truman chose to nuke Nagasaki and Hiroshima? Estimates were up to a million dead to defeat Japan on their home islands. And that was against an already defeated enemy with no access to oil or natural resources, with few munitions left available and whose industry was a shambles.
Now think of Taiwan, with 70 years of being threatened by Chinese invasion, 70 years to prep, 70 years to build hardened defenses around the island, 70 years to train and prepare, to draw and redraw battle plans for any and all contingencies.
Now add in the challenging topography. The shallow western approaches that would be choked with sunken Chinese warships. The scarcity of natural harbors.
Taiwan perches on the margin of the continental shelf. Along the west coast the sea is rather shallow, averaging 90 m (300 ft) and not exceeding 210 m (690 ft) at the deepest point; however, it deepens abruptly along the east coast, dropping to a depth of 4,000 m (13,000 ft) only 50 km (31 mi) offshore.
The terrain is precipitous on the east coast, with practically no natural harbor except Suao Bay in the north. The west coast is marked by wide tidal flats. Kaohsiung, the southern port, is situated in a long lagoon called Haochiung Bay. The north coast with its many inlets provides Taiwan with its best harbor, Chilung (Keelung).
The eastern two-thirds of the island is composed of rugged foothill ranges and massive mountain chains. A low, flat coastal plain, extending from north to south, occupies the western third. Yü Shan, with an elevation of 3,997 m (13,113 ft), is the highest peak on the island. Mild earthquake tremors are common.
All the rivers originate in the mountains in the central part of the island. They have short courses and rapid streams. The longest river, Choshui, draining westward, is only 190 km (118 mi) long. Only the Tanshui, which flows past T'aipei in the north, is navigable.
Read more: https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Taiwan-TOPOGRAPHY.html#ixzz7aknCyKZ8
If China were to invade there would be millions of dead on both sides. Chinas military would be decimated and unlikely to recover for the next 30 to 50 years, leaving the mainland open to either invasion or mass civil unrest. It would bankrupt them. China as we know it now would cease to exist.
Im pretty sure China understands this and that is why they havent attempted to invade sooner. If they really wanted it they would have done so right after Chiang fled there.
Remember why Truman chose to nuke Nagasaki and Hiroshima? Estimates were up to a million dead to defeat Japan on their home islands.
Now think of Taiwan, with 70 years of being threatened by Chinese invasion, 70 years to prep, 70 years to build hardened defenses around the island, 70 years to train and prepare, to draw and redraw battle plans for any and all contingencies.
Now add in the challenging topography. The shallow western approaches that would be choked with sunken Chinese warships. The scarcity of natural harbors.
Taiwan perches on the margin of the continental shelf. Along the west coast the sea is rather shallow, averaging 90 m (300 ft) and not exceeding 210 m (690 ft) at the deepest point; however, it deepens abruptly along the east coast, dropping to a depth of 4,000 m (13,000 ft) only 50 km (31 mi) offshore.
The terrain is precipitous on the east coast, with practically no natural harbor except Suao Bay in the north. The west coast is marked by wide tidal flats. Kaohsiung, the southern port, is situated in a long lagoon called Haochiung Bay. The north coast with its many inlets provides Taiwan with its best harbor, Chilung (Keelung).
The eastern two-thirds of the island is composed of rugged foothill ranges and massive mountain chains. A low, flat coastal plain, extending from north to south, occupies the western third. Yü Shan, with an elevation of 3,997 m (13,113 ft), is the highest peak on the island. Mild earthquake tremors are common.
All the rivers originate in the mountains in the central part of the island. They have short courses and rapid streams. The longest river, Choshui, draining westward, is only 190 km (118 mi) long. Only the Tanshui, which flows past T'aipei in the north, is navigable.
Read more: https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Taiwan-TOPOGRAPHY.html#ixzz7aknCyKZ8
If China were to invade there would be millions of dead on both sides. Chinas military would be decimated and unlikely to recover for the next 30 to 50 years, leaving the mainland open to either invasion or mass civil unrest. It would bankrupt them. China as we know it now would cease to exist.
Im pretty sure China understands this and that is why they havent attempted to invade sooner. If they really wanted it they would have done so right after Chiang fled there.
Remember why Truman chose to nuke Nagasaki and Hiroshima? Estimates were up to a million dead to defeat Japan on their home islands.
Now think of Taiwan, with 70 years of being threatened by Chinese invasion, 70 years to prep, 70 years to build hardened defenses around the island, 70 years to train and prepare, to draw and redraw battle plans for any and all contingencies.
Now add in the challenging topography. The shallow western approaches that would be choked with sunken Chinese warships. The scarcity of natural harbors.
Taiwan perches on the margin of the continental shelf. Along the west coast the sea is rather shallow, averaging 90 m (300 ft) and not exceeding 210 m (690 ft) at the deepest point; however, it deepens abruptly along the east coast, dropping to a depth of 4,000 m (13,000 ft) only 50 km (31 mi) offshore.
The terrain is precipitous on the east coast, with practically no natural harbor except Suao Bay in the north. The west coast is marked by wide tidal flats. Kaohsiung, the southern port, is situated in a long lagoon called Haochiung Bay. The north coast with its many inlets provides Taiwan with its best harbor, Chilung (Keelung).
The eastern two-thirds of the island is composed of rugged foothill ranges and massive mountain chains. A low, flat coastal plain, extending from north to south, occupies the western third. Yü Shan, with an elevation of 3,997 m (13,113 ft), is the highest peak on the island. Mild earthquake tremors are common.
All the rivers originate in the mountains in the central part of the island. They have short courses and rapid streams. The longest river, Choshui, draining westward, is only 190 km (118 mi) long. Only the Tanshui, which flows past T'aipei in the north, is navigable.
Read more: https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Taiwan-TOPOGRAPHY.html#ixzz7aknCyKZ8
If China were to invade there would be millions of dead on both sides. Chinas military would be decimated and unlikely to recover for the next 30 to 50 years, leaving the mainland open to either invasion or mass civil unrest. It would bankrupt them. China as we know it now would cease to exist.
Im pretty sure China understands this.