Page 528 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo I

528 XXXIX Congresso della CommIssIone InternazIonale dI storIa mIlItare • CIHm

Combined operation of People’s Liberation Army of China
A historical reflection: 1949-1991

Qu AIGUO

n Military Terms of People’s Liberation Army of China, a reference book published
I in 1982, “Combined Operation” is defined as “an operation conducted by two or
more arms or services under the unified planning and command for the common task”.
The definition reflects the view of Chinese armed forces on combined operation before
1990s.
Combined operation is the major type of operation in mechanized warfare. It had
been highly emphasized in PLA history, particularly from 1950s to 1980s during which
time it was taken as the basic mode of operation, training and maintaining readiness. The
idea of combined operation dominated and influenced all aspects of national defense and
armed forces building, from operation guidance, structure and system of armed forces,
armament development, logistic support, and training and education.

Part one: Four steps of development of PLA combined operation theory
Combined operation in PLA begun from the coordination of infantry and artillery during
the latter period of Chinese Liberation War in 1940s. After the founding of PRC in 1949,
theories of combined operation were developed and improved, especially after Korean
War, self-defense operations, counter-attack operations as well as some air battles and
maritime battles. At the end of 1980s, a set of systemic theories of combined operations
with Chinese characters were established.

First Period: from late 1940s to early 1960s
Before the establishment of People’s Republic of China, combined operation of PLA
referred mainly to the coordination between infantry and artillery. Theories and skills of
combined operation developed with fast pace due to the experience in the Korean War,
particularly the experience from the coordinated operation between infantry and artil-
lery, and between infantry and tank troop.
PLA kicked off a transition from single armed and single service forces to combined
armed forces during this period. Since January 1951, PLA started upgrading itself with
Soviet made equipments and learning combined operation theories of Soviet military.
A series of military operations and exercise conducted during this period also pushed
forward the application of combined operation theories into practice.
In 1961, first generation of combat doctrine of PLA was issued, which for the first
time officially pointed out 10 basic principles for operation, and demonstrated combined
operation ideas. It marked the transition of operation theories from single arm based one
to combined arms based.