Luring the enemy deeper has two levels of depth; it’s about right, but we still need to assess the situation. This was our thinking before engaging the enemy in battle. Once fighting begins, you’ll understand how the enemy operates, and at that point we can make further assumptions. In any case, we must hold the front lines for several months, perhaps half a year, to allow time for preparations in the rear. We also need to consider the possibility that we might not be able to hold. We can’t afford to leave even the slightest gap. You may have planned everything meticulously, but the enemy won’t attack through your strongest defenses; instead, it will exploit any weaknesses you’ve overlooked. So what should we do if they find those gaps?
Utilizing cities in combat is another viable approach—adopting the Stalingrad model. We certainly can’t just evacuate an entire city. Shanghai has a population of seven million; where would we move them? Some factories would need to be relocated. Coastal cities should construct multiple layers of fortifications so that even if one layer is breached, there remains another. Attention must also be paid to defending the flanks of urban areas. At the onset of war, this strategy could be implemented for several months, after which we would reassess the situation. As for U.S. airborne operations, they are limited to short-range drops. For long-range airdrops, the Americans lack both the confidence and the necessary strength.
Four
For one country to annihilate another, as long as its military remains intact and the majority of its people survive, the invading force will never succeed. To destroy a nation, one must first dismantle its armed forces, then subjugate its populace and seize its territory.