Samuel Cranny-Evans Human Waves and Unmarked Graves Has the PLA adjusted its attitude to casualties? China’s past attitudes to casualties and tactics have led to catastrophic loss of life, and a military that struggled to overcome technologically advanced foes. How has this attitude evolved, if at all? From Civil War to Vietnam Recent reflection on the PLA’s attitudes to combat losses has been instructive. The two phases of China’s civil war, leading to establishment of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and People’s Republic of China, are estimated to have cost around 2.4 million lives during combat, and a great many more through ‘democide’ and famine; the Korean War cost the People’s Volunteer Army between 110,000-920,000 lives – the former figure cites Chinese sources, likely accounting for the disparity; an estimated 20,000 PLA personnel died in the short 1979 war with Vietnam. Mass casualties have been a hallmark of Chinese 20th century conflicts, but evidence suggests attitudes to casualties are changing, and that future conflicts might take a dramatically different form. Body Armour, Medical Tents and Armoured Ambulances A tendency for very high combat losses has typically been the result of human wave tactics and a relative lack of technological development. Two root causes for high combat losses offer themselves for analysis: a lack of concern for human life; and a poor understanding of modern, technology-driven warfare. Attempts at force preservation were often driven by operational necessity; the UN’s concentrated firepower and air superiority in Korea forced PVA forces to move into position at night, and often launch attacks under cover of darkness: doing so in broad daylight would have incurred disastrous losses. However, there are now indications that the PLA is taking steps designed specifically to preserve human life. For instance, in 2020 details of a tender for 1.4 million sets of body armour emerged via Global Times – a protective vest for every frontline soldier, and the first time in history that protective equipment has been extended to the entire force. From December 2021, the PLA officially began to receive its new Type-21 combat uniforms, and personal electronic devices, such as the Beidou communication and navigation handset, are now in widespread circulation among soldiers. All this indicates increased investment in the rank and file, and a greater desire to preserve and protect the lives of those soldiers the state has spent money and time training. Naturally, the equipment serves to enhance unit survivability, which in turn indicates an increased awareness of the realities of modern conflict and the need to maintain effective fighting units with a limited pool of manpower to fall back on. The PLA has also worked on increasing its medical facilities; in the wake of the 2020 clashes with Indian troops in the Galwan Valley, a new flying hospital was established in Tibet, to deal specifically with future regional incidents. In addition, one of the most prominent aspects of China’s UN commitments has been its medical deployments. Medical ships have visited Africa, and PLA medical personnel have been deployed in support of natural disasters. The PLA has also sought out exposure to foreign medical practises, including advice on trauma surgery from British surgeons. Furthermore, the PLA is now replete with armoured medical vehicles; there is an ambulance variant of almost every APC in PLA service, and medical drills are regularly conducted. The PLA is also forward-leaning in its medical care, having rehearsed the use of exoskeletons, UGV and UAV to evacuate mock casualties on exercise. Finally, available evidence suggests every PLA soldier is now mechanised, with ‘Shanks’ pony’ and the ‘liberation shoe’ no longer the primary means of transport. Even the PLA’s light infantry are provided with armoured 4x4s. The PLA’s writings certainly indicate an awareness of the realities of modern conflict, and a desire to fight in a modern, informatised way. This furthers the argument that attitudes towards the loss of personnel, and towards the very conduct of a war, have evolved significantly. So What? The above is certainly not a complete answer to the PLA’s attitudes to casualties in conflict. There is a political element missing, as the demands and goals of the CCP would decide how aggressively the PLA would pursue its goals, and against whom. However, it does indicate that the PLA has evolved dramatically from the undeniably brave forces that tried to overwhelm UN positions with rifles and bayonets in Korea. It suggests the PLA has taken steps to invest in and preserve its personnel, on a level comparable with its peers. Despite this, its ability to prevent mass casualties will largely depend on the ability of its NCOs and commanding officers to fully exploit their equipment and formations in combat. Failure to realise their potential will likely lead to heavy losses, regardless of the investment in medical care and personal equipment. A Research Associate at the Royal United Services Institute in London, Sam Cranny-Evans is a regular contributor to MilTech. Comment MT 2/2022 · 7
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