If the US and China were to go to war, who would win?

Question

If America and China were to go to war, who would win? And Why?

Answer 1

I think they would draw because both sides have their own special advantages and edge over the other.

CONVENTIONAL WARFARE:

The US possesses the most efficient and highest quality weaponry, arms and technology in the world and when used, these can inflict considerable damage on enemy forces and unleash devastating results.

They also have better training and motivation which comes from not being a fully conscript army like China is. These factors play a crucial role in the performance of an army, division or brigade as a whole and can give one side a vital advantage over the other.

The US also has a fairly big advantage when it comes to airpower - highly trained, better equipped and superior quality pilots and fighter/bomber planes – every thing the opposite of what China’s mostly old and obsolete air force currently has at the moment. The same could also be said of the navy.

But China has advantages of it’s own that can balance out against the Americans. One of which is obviously manpower, which can overwhelm and pin down enemy forces, like it did to the Americans and other UN armies in the Korean War.

However, this can spring up potential loopholes - a considerably large army could likely mean lower fighting ability and low quality resources (like guns, armour, ammunition e.t.c) for each individual soldier, and this could cost them in the battle-field.

Also, because of their huge population, ideal terrain and their experience in guerrilla warfare – all of which are ideal building blocks for guerrilla warfare - there is the devastating potential for them to build up and respond with a guerrilla army (like the Vietcong) incase they lose out conventionally. As we saw in Vietnam and what we are seeing in Iraq, American troops historically are known not to cope well against guerrilla tactics

The advantages and edges that both sides have with their armies balance out against each other. The Americans have higher-quality weaponry, superior training & ability, higher motivation & morale and a better airforce and navy on their side, but these can be just about countered with China’s over-whelming manpower, difficult terrain and their potential to respond with (most likely) semi-conventional guerrilla tactics.

So overall: Tie.

NUCLEAR WARFE:

I think it’s probably obvious this one. Both sides have enough nuclear weapons to completely destroy each other ten times over, so in the end no would win.

Overall: Tie.

Answer 2

Assuming the media and the populace could stomach the fight, the US would win if the war were to break out now or in the near future. (We'll also assume no nukes... that gives america the edge as well since our delivery systems are global and china could only be a regional menace.)

China has more people, they're also decades behind the US in technological employment.

They have a strong (and growing economy), but at the current LOW US growth rate and the current HIGH Chinese growth rate (a trend that can't continue) it would still take china 50 years to catch up to our economy.

They have more troops than we do... but most of them are conscript infantry: little more than peasants with guns. Their Air Force is pitiful, they're lacking in armor divisions, and their Navy could be torn to bits by the american naval/air forces in less than three weeks.

Their food is still grown mostly by hands in western china. Their eastern seaboard is the only heavily industrialized area. Destroy the port cities and cripple their economy... destroy their train lines and their transport capability to move food to the large eastern cities would be shot... basically, alot of people would starve. Those same train lines are how china would have to move most of it's peasant conscripts, so a few well placed AF bombs would eliminate china's ability to dynamically respond with troops.

India is OUR ally and a HUGE population base. if they could be convinced to support a western front (or to join the fighting from the west themselves) then there would be an invasion through both the eastern sea-board (crippling their economy and hitting their industry hard) AND the western peasant land (foment rebellion because life would be harder on the peasants, the land is not well defended AND doesn't have much in the way of infrastructure (meaning their response would be sluggish)).

Don't get me wrong, i'm not advocating war in mainland china... but it could be done with the current balance of power being as it is.

Answer 3

Good question Vinnie G . Statistically the US would be able to cause more damage . We would sink their Navy . Our Navy is the largest / best equipped in the world . Our Air Force has more jets , with better trained pilots . Our Army and Marine Corp , even though out numbered , would be able to dominate though better equipment , tactics, and logistics . I really don't think going to war with China will happen they know that they would hurt us badly , but that we would destroy them totally . Besides China of late is becoming much more of an economic based nation . They are very smart , if they go to war with us it would be severe global depression . Oh , by the way on the odd chance it would be nuclear , China would glow . ( granted once again the US would be badly hurt by this , but there would be survivors here . )

Answer 4

Assuming a conventional war - without nuclear - US would win easily since they have far more air power and greater range in missiles. China has a large army - but foot soldiers can hardly battle a stealth evading B2 bomber or a missle launched from Diego Garcia island in the Indian Ocean.

In a non conventional war - it would be probably who drops the first nuclear bomb and how much damage it can do. The ability to respond might be completely lost after that first strike.

Answer 5

well since thee us is 300 million people and china has 1.1billion people or 1/6th of the worlds population a larger standing army and if we got no help from the outside world. chances are we would have a problem. But being a U.S. citizen and knowing how much money we have invested in China's infrastructure and the vast amount of poverty still ramped in china. The chances of china or the us going to war a slim to none there would be no profit in it for either side.

Answer 6

I personally think China would. They wouldn't need to even strike back with "war". They own so much USD all they would have to do is sell it at super low prices to rock our economy.

But if war were to take place, I would say China because they have way more people and since they are under communist control, China can force people to serve the war. They have way more people than us so if it turned out to be like Vietnam - sheesh, they could drag the war out much longer than we could handle.

Atomic weapons, China has them too.

Answer 7

Nobody would win. The world does not want to see 2 nuclear powers face off. inevitably one side or the other would perceive themselves as losing and use their nuclear arsenal for defense. This would have disastrous consequences for the entire world with even a limited strike and response.

Answer 8

If it were nuclear war, probably the U.S., since we have a lot more than they do, but even a few would hurt us.

As for conventional war, it would depend on the objective, if it were Middle East oil fields or protecting Japan, we would have the edge since their military is not geared toward projecting power over long distances (ours is). Even a head to head land war in Asia would be difficult for them to beat us at, since we have a lot of advanced tactics and weapons.

But since China's economy is dependent on a strong U.S. economy, there is no reason for us to fight. China could do real damage if they resorted to unconventional warfare (such as cyber-warfare), but if they wanted to piss us off or coerce us into doing something we don't want to do, they could simply threaten to stop financing our debt at such favorable rates (4.8%).

And one last thought, as China becomes a consumer economy, their numerical edge will lose its luster, since they will become fat and lazy like us.

Answer 9

How many aircraft carriers does China have? They just put a man in space last year, we (and the Russians) did it 45 years ago. Our air force would crush theirs, making it impossible for masses of people to move over open territory. Unfortunately our politicians can easily defeat our military.

Answer 10

The U.S....Maybe alone, China would win, but remember that America has allies all over the world....