Red wings over the Yalu : China, the Soviet Union, and the air war in Korea / Xiaoming Zhang.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Zhang, Xiaoming, 1951-

Series:

Texas A & M University military history series ; 80.

Texas A & M University military history series ; no. 80

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Korean War, 1950-1953--Aerial operations, Chinese.

Korean War, 1950-1953.

Air power--China--History.

Air power.

Military operations, Aerial--Chinese.

History.

China.

Genre:

History.

Penn Provenance:

Korea Society (New York, N.Y.) (donor)

Physical Description:

xii, 300 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

College Station : Texas A & M University Press, [2002]

Summary:

The Korean conflict was a pivotal event in China's modern military history, constituting an important experience for the newly formed People's Liberation Army Air Force (Plaaf), not only as a test case for this fledgling service but also in the later development of Chinese air power. Xiaoming Zhang fills the gaps in the history of this conflict by basing his research on recently declassified Chinese and Russian archival materials and interviews with Chinese participants in the air war over Korea. Zhang's findings challenge conventional wisdom as he compares kill ratios and performance by all sides involved in the war, addresses how air power affected Beijing's decision to intervene, and touches on ground operations and truce negotiations during the conflict. Zhang also offers considerable materials on the training of Chinese aviators and the Soviet role in that training, on Soviet and Chinese air operations in Korea, and on diplomatic exchanges over Soviet military assistance to China.

Contents:

Aviation and the Chinese revolution : a historical perspective

Fledging years : the emergence of the People's Liberation Army Air Force

Promise, decision, and the airpower factor

From defending China to intervention in Korea

Months of frustration : plans and preparations

Soviet air operations in Korea

China enters the air war

From MiG alley to Panmunjon

Conclusion : Estimations, lessons, retrospect, and future perspectives

Appendixes. PLAAF aviation troops, 1950-51

Soviet VVS/POV forces in China, 1950-51

Soviet PVO forces in Korea, November 1, 1950-July 27, 1953

CPV Air Forces in Korea, December, 1950-July, 1953.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 271-283) and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Zhang, Xiaoming, 1951- Red wings over the Yalu.

ISBN:

1585442011

9781585442010

1585443409

9781585443406

OCLC:

48958552