Number: RL33607
Title: U.S. Conventional Forces and Nuclear Deterrence: A China Case Study
Authors: Christopher Bolkcom, Shirley A. Kan, and Amy F. Woolf, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division 
Abstract: To effectively analyze the desired size and characteristics of tomorrow's military, some argue that we must take a hard look at feasible, real-world contingencies. A possible conflict with China attracts considerable attention from defense planners because it is a regional competitor today and could over time grow to be a "near-peer" competitor. Analysts can also easily identify flashpoints where the two nations might meet and feel compelled to defend national interests. The analysis in this report seeks to explore the possible role that U.S. nuclear and conventional forces might play in four stages of potential conflicts: deterrence, prior to the start of the conflict; crisis stability in the early stages of the conflict; warfighting during the height of the conflict; and war termination, through either a negotiated settlement or a battlefield victory. This report highlights a number of policy issues that may bear consideration in the ongoing debate regarding military investments.
Pages: 30
Date: August 11, 2006