American invasion

So China 2014/2015 pulls an Argentina 1982...

First, where would they land? There are not a lot of opportune targets in Alaska to invade and very little infrastructure to support a massive invasion. Hawaii would see any major fleet coming long before it got there, and the West Coast does not have a lot of places where a landing is feasible. Los Angeles and SoCal perhaps but the area is densely populated while Eastern and Northern California has lots of well-armed folks who might not take so well to an invasion. Oregon has very few beaches that could sustain such a landing force and minimal infrastructure behind them outside of Portland. Similar scenario for Washington State, unless they choose to try for Seattle in which case we have a giant Trident facility out there.

Second, why would China decide to invade at all? Economic warfare is much easier than military invasions anymore and Beijing has significant internal issues to address. If not for the writing system and current regime there is little to stop China from being broken into about half a dozen countries (Tibet [Lhasa], Chinese Turkminestan, Manchuria [Harbin], Central China [Chunqing], Southern China [Shanghai], and Noth Central China [Beijing]). Taiwan would be recognized internationally, the world's major manufacturer of cheap consumer goods would be eliminated, and 15-20% of total US debt would be neutralized in a matter of weeks. It would probably force the US to redevelop some manufacturing capacity at least for higher-end electronics if nothing else and serve as a warning that the US is still a major global power on the block.
 

iddt3

Donor
For the OPs sake I'll say that you misunderstand what modern debt is at a national level. First off, you can't just call it due whenever you want, it's all fixed term at fixed rates. Trying to call it due would simply get you laughed at. Second, as others have said, China doesn't really hold that much of our debt, I think it's like 20% of our foreign debt but that is vastly outweighed by internal debt, i.e. american T Bond holders. Third you misunderstand the entire purpose of modern debt for the countries that buy it. T bonds are viewed as a safe long term investment, not as an IOU that one needs to worry about.
 

Kongzilla

Banned
I thought there was a part of the American constitution or something as equally important that said the USA should Always pay it's debts. Besides it would still pay the debt at the end of the war. Make them a Martyr.
 
This would be as stupid as Argentina trying to invade the British Isle in 1982.....

I wish people would stop over-estimating China. The US will be the largest military power by far for at least another 40 years I feel.

China is now busy getting rich, it has no want for war. It has spent more on it's military but that is only in relation to its growing economy rather than an attempt to challenge America.

China has less aircraft carriers than Spain for god sake!
 

Kongzilla

Banned
So is it going to be like how america took over the British empire economically decades before it overtook them militarily
 
The fact that it was impossible to launch cross ocean invasions of continental land masses even before the introduction of nuclear weapons is another reason.
French invasion of Mexico.

And almost every colonial conquest.
 
So is it going to be like how america took over the British empire economically decades before it overtook them militarily

I would say yes, that is how China would rise.

I think we are slowly but surely entering a world dominated by Great World Powers. With China & India catching up, Europe integrating and America stagnating.

In 2050 we will have a world where there is no dominant economic power anymore but the EU, America and China are all tied, with India snapping at their heels.

How that affects the real impact on global diplomacy and the situation on the ground is impossible to say. China and/or India might only throw their weight around in thier regions while the EU remain commited to soft power. If that happens America will still be top dog. However, if China and India start to intervene across the world and Europe becomes more militaristic then America will be hard pressed to contain the other great power's influences.
 

CalBear

Moderator
Donor
Monthly Donor
French invasion of Mexico.

And almost every colonial conquest.

Colonial conquests are not, by definition, actual invasions of near peer nation states. Even then, the number of successful entries into large scale native states by invaders is quite small.

The French success in Mexico is a rather remarkable achievement, all the more so since it was initially a multinational effort (France, the UK and Spain). That it lasted unly a few months after the U.S. was no longer engaged in the Civil War is also a rather interesting footnote.
 
What's Russia doing in all this. I wonder if they'd lone some of their nuclear arsenal to china for "Defensive Precautions". By that time they realize the Russian Premier has just been Putin them on.

They'd probably just face palm with the rest of the world and wonder why the Chinese Premier ordered everyone to have the front part of their brains removed and have all their high school grade economics students shot. Russia would have no desire to get involved in such an idiotic adventure, Putin isn't dumb, he doesn't want Russia to be dragged into what is going to be a absolute clusterfuck. In fact he'd probably just let the whole thing play out and giggle with glee as two of Russia's greatest competitors slug each other in the face.
 

James G

Gone Fishin'
This thread has bugged me since I first saw it back when... well, I was young then.
The OP is flawed (no offense meant). Why would China invade the United States for the money that apparently America owes them? That doesn't make any sense. How are they going to get this 'money'? Will the PLA seize 400'000 personal automobiles, 280'000 tractors, and 130'000 chickens? Because, physical and tradeable property would be the only compensation they could take. The United States would hardly electronically transfer however many billion dollars that the OP suggests that they owe China after having their country invaded.
In short, the OP doesn't make any sense. Many valid military points have been made, but, IMHO, this whole thread is flawed as a concept.
 
I agree with jimmygreen2002 and others that this is a fundamentally flawed OP to the point that it is just silly.

Mind you, some of the other comments just seem to envision the Chinese Navy sailing forth across the Pacific happy to play target. Such limited thinking is staggering. We are moving into the age of asymmetric warfare, cyber and economic attacks but no one even seems to consider that as a possibility. IF you want to consider this almost ASB scenario then at least think beyond the childishly simplistic notion of a little armada sailing as expected to it's death like some low quality computer game - any 'invasion' would come with numerous asymmetric attacks on the US. That's how the damage would occur in a non-nuclear conflict.

But as the OP makes no sense it's probably not worth the bother.
 
What would happen if China invaded America for the money America owes them? What countries would support which side and who would be most probable to win?

I can imagine a war between China and the US rather easily. But definitely not an invasion and definitely not over debt.
 
I can imagine a war between China and the US rather easily. But definitely not an invasion and definitely not over debt.

I see what you guys are saying i was just interested in who would win and i was trying to think of a semi reasonable reason why they would. Its not like i'm serious that they would invade for the money its unreasonable i just cant see any other reason why they would. Its probably one of the most feasible reasons

- just re-read that and realised how many times i say reason in such a short paragraph haha.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
The U.S. Navy could simply cut off China's access to Middle Eastern and African oil by a distant blockade in the Indian Ocean, then wait until China comes begging for peace on almost any terms.
 
…the money America owes them?

This is absolutely ludicrous. What money? China doesn't control ANYTHING. Please go do research on something before just saying crap.

What countries would support which side

All of NATO, plus most of the rest of the world on the US' side.

who would be most probable to win?

The US. China's infrastructure would be bombed into rubble and they'd sue for peace a few months after the start of the war.
 
What if China decided to fight dirty by launching a EMP attack on America, possibly from its proxy North Korea or some other 3rd party (to give it some plausible deniability) via cargo vessel-based ballistic missile launch systems that can be concealed in shipping containers aboard seemingly civilian ships (flying flags of convenience) that rumors say North Korea and Iran are currently developing together?

Fwiw apparently both North Korea and Iran are also suspected of seeking to develop an ICBM with unlimited range attack capabilities aka a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System / FOBS missile, which would allow a path to North America over the South Pole.

Even if China already possesses such capabilities itself, AFAIK there is no known land defence against ship-based ballistic missiles targeting U.S. coastal cities or aiming to destroy the country's communications and electronics systems in an EMP attack--detonation of a nuclear warhead high above the Midwestern United States.

Not saying that the US would lose, it is just that it seems the US tends to get rather complacent at times (whether overestimating a group / nation's sanity and rational self-interest or underestimating a group / nation's desire to overturn the Status Quo in its favor with MAD being seen as an inducement rather than a deterrent) inevitably leading to pre-emptive Pearl Habor-style surprise attacks, which one day might not allow the US to recover quickly.
 
One of the interesting things to consider is that even if you somehow get passed the USN, landing on the west coast puts you in urban combat with perhaps the largest irregular militia in waiting on the planet. Not only that, but its a small arms irregular militia subsidized with a heavy weapons 'militia' in the form of the national guard.
 
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