A defense in depth that trades territory for time could place an invading force under heavy pressure. Failure to control usable ports or airfields by the second or third day would create a major resupply problem in this assessment. Over-the-beach logistics remain available, but those systems would be among the first targets. Years of Taiwanese preparation also make assumptions about the defenders' resolve and ingenuity dangerous. Planning on an opponent being less dedicated or capable risks sending a force into combat underprepared.
Notable Point · 1:09:53-1:11:39
Ports and prepared defenders test an invasion's staying power
Denied ports and airfields could strain Chinese resupply within days, while assumptions about weak resistance risk underestimating Taiwan's preparation.