The People's Liberation Army as Organization: Reference Volume v1.0

This book is the product of a conference, held in October 2000, that brought together many of the nation’s top experts to evaluate issues of structure and process in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The editors believe that fundamental knowledge about the PLA can be ascertained from the study of its organizational structure, and that this type of structure and process analysis is the critical first step toward a revolution in our understanding of the central issues, including how the PLA will fight. The papers in this volume present a comprehensive view of the administrative and operational structure of the PLA. In exhaustive detail, they discuss the leadership, history, organization, functions, and possible future direction of each of the PLA’s Commissions and Military Departments.