There’s only one problem with this scenario: for all its military might, an invasion of Taiwan by China would be incredibly difficult. The D-Day landings, across a much narrower, shallower stretch of water, necessitated the largest seaborne invasion force in history, backed by a comprehensive strategy of deception and surprise.
Suffice to say that, even if it mustered an invading force strong enough, China could hardly hope to keep it a secret. Taiwan, heavily armed with surface-to-sea missiles, would be the toughest of nuts to crack.
Still, if Taiwan would be difficult to invade, what other countries would be even harder to invade?
People claim that modern day countries like Luxembourg would be hard to invade, since they are at the very heart of Europe, neighbored by France and Germany. Or perhaps Andorra, the mountainous land locked country bordering Spain and France, home to the sleeping irredentist movements that allow its sovereignty in the first place.
But perhaps one of the hardest countries to invade might surprise you: Canada.
Most difficult or not feasible at all would perhaps be Canada? Bordering the U.S.A to the south, it has the safest position in the entire world. Protected by the harsh winters and below freezing temperatures, the predators inhabiting the forests and tundra are territorial and fierce. The north itself is protected by the Arctic Circle, perpetual dark or everlasting days; it is a recipe for disaster to anyone giving the slightest attempt of invasion by sea.
As the United States itself knows, invading Canada is a difficult prospect indeed. The US has tried four times, after all — all without success.
But it should never be forgotten why Switzerland has stayed successfully neutral despite sitting in the middle of some of the most devastating wars in human history.
The entire country is mountainous, with slippery slopes of sharp edged rocks and summits that reach for the skies. Surrounded by countries like France, Germany and Italy, it has no slight worry about invasion. The entire country is defensible by itself, thus being surrounded by mighty countries only bolsters this fact. Even if that were to fail, most of the bridges around the country are rigged with explosives to further delay an invasion.
Not to mention that, by law, the entire population is armed and trained to fight.
As conscription is mandatory in Switzerland, the populace has the basic training and discipline alongside survival skills to weather an invasion, and to make matters worse for the invaders, a law is placed that every household should own a gun.
Switzerland’s greatest weapon, though, is its mastery of the art of not fighting at all.
Even with all the impressive natural defense, with the capability to withstand and weather any invasion by the people, the help of its allies and mighty neighbor’s falters with the weapon the Swiss do employ masterfully, diplomacy.
Not having any bad relationship with countries around the world, even if they did not like an action condone by a country, the Swiss prefer to articulate their disapproval by sending a strongly worded letter. Even if diplomacy were to fail them in defending their nation, perhaps the planetary approved keeping of gold and money would be the biggest deterrent of any invasion.
What about Australia and New Zealand, I hear you cry.
Indeed, both nations would be physically difficult to invade. The Tyranny of Distance is a great insulator, after all. Even the Japanese in WWII had no serious plans for invasion — their attacks on Australia were more geared at deterring or knocking out bases.
Any Southeast Asian nation planning an invasion of Australia would, for a start, require a massive military build-up that would not go unnoticed or unchallenged by its neighbours.
Australia, in its turn, constitutes a continent-sized bulwark for New Zealand.
New Zealand, any Micronesian or Polynesian isle would simply be not worth for an invasion, as these isles hold little of value
Except that, as the Japanese knew in WWII, even the smallest Pacific islands can at least play host to a useful airstrip or harbour, en route to some much bigger strategic fish.
Although, in the nuclear age, even that strategic equation must be reconsidered. Dropping a nuke in a heavily inhabited region bordering other countries might be unthinkable, but dropping one on an enemy base on a remote Pacific island?
In the end, though, the smarter option is to not invade militarily at all. Why risk a war, when you can simply buy the place out?
Did somebody say “BRI”?
Lushington describes himself as Punk rock philosopher. Liberalist contrarian. Grumpy old bastard. This article was first published HERE
1 comment:
You need to add North Korea to any imagined scenario involving Taiwan. Once the attack on Taiwan had begun, Beijing would give Pyongyang the nod to invade South Korea. This would present a dilemma to the US and its allies: sending troops and machinery to South Korea would weaken already hard-pressed defences in Taiwan and would almost certainly not make any difference - all simulations I have come across see the South as falling within weeks. Unless, of course, tactical nuclear weapons were used. But that's another story.
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