Why China could not mobilize its mass

China possessed enough potential force to stop or reverse Japan's advance if it could have concentrated that power at the Yalu. Instead, several armies remained tied down against rebellions while factions disputed appointments, authority, and which commanders could safely receive large formations. Population and paper manpower therefore concealed the much smaller force that the state could actually mobilize for this war. The navy suffered a parallel failure when experienced officers were lost through coerced suicide and replaced by weaker commanders. Institutional mistrust turned military reverses into collapsing morale among otherwise capable sailors.