Before the war, Iraq had 860,000 troops and more than 300,000 reserves, 3,700 Soviet tanks, 5,000 armored fighting vehicles, 3,000 Soviet artillery pieces, MiG 23, MiG 25, MiG 29, Su 24 and France has more than 100 Mirage F1 fighters and is known as the "fourth military power in

Author: Forgotten in Jianghu

html The Gulf War more than 230 years ago, the predictions of think tanks and experts at home and abroad were shocking.

Pre-war Iraq had 860,000 troops, more than 300,000 reserves, 3,700 Soviet tanks, 5,000 armored fighting vehicles , 3,000 Soviet artillery, MiG 23, MiG 25, With more than 100 MiG-29H4, Su-24 and French Mirage F1 fighters, it is known as the "fourth military power in the world".

The coalition forces of 34 countries participating in the war are also unambiguous. There are 690,000 troops, including 540,000 US troops, 1,650 main battle tanks, more than 42,000 armored vehicles, 1,700 various types of fighter planes, and 1,500 various types of helicopters. The US think tank predicts coalition casualties of at least 15,000. Coalition Commander-in-Chief Schwarz Kopf estimates 5,000 casualties. Even the most optimistic Chairman of the Joint Conference, Powell, estimates 3,000 casualties.

Some experts even predict that the US military will fall into a vast ocean of "people's war" just like the Vietnam War .

In fact, the Gulf War lasted for a total of 6 weeks. The first 38 days were "air-ground integrated" missile cruise bombing. The actual ground combat only lasted 100 hours. The 300,000 "Republican Guards" known as Saddam's elite troops Falling apart. The most exaggerated thing is that only 148 coalition soldiers were killed. The "Apache" helicopter destroyed 3,700 tanks and only lost one.

The Gulf War changed the world military pattern, and also gave birth to the army reforms of China, Russia and other major countries.

Gulf War Situation

html The Russia-Ukraine war more than 230 years later once again surprised many think tanks and experts.

On the surface, the Russian army and the Ukrainian army looked like a contest between elephants and ants. Therefore, before the war, many experts and think tanks called for " blitz " and "quick victory". But once the war started, everyone discovered that the Ukrainian army with only 200,000 troops was actually inextricably locked up with the 200,000-strong Russian army, the second largest in the world. Many people estimated that the battle would be over in a week, but it has not stopped for three months.

Behind the Russian military's "externally strong but internally capable", in addition to the fact that the air force has not been crushed and the navy is dispensable, the ineffective conventional weapons and the serious shortage of infantry are important factors. The Russian Army In 1991, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union 30 years ago, there were still 2.6 million people. Today, there are only 250,000 people left, a total reduction of 2.35 million people. In the Russo-Ukrainian War, 200,000 people were dispatched. I took out my old bag.

After the conflict between Russia and Ukraine broke out, the Russian army was short of infantry, and its conventional armed forces, mainly tanks and armored units, , also lost their former glory, and even became a living target for the Ukrainian guerrillas. The Russian army was forced to abandon tanks and abandon the three-sided siege strategy, and instead combined forces to focus on Malupol and the Azov Steel Plant. Even so, the Russian army's combat efficiency is very low with more enemies and fewer enemies.

30 years ago, the total strength of the Russian army was 4.3 million, including 2.6 million in the army, ranking first in the world in terms of number of soldiers.

After the Gulf War, the Russian army closely followed the US military strategically, and the army decreased sharply. The current total strength of the Russian army is 1.2 million, including 250,000 in the army, 150,000 in the navy, 430,000 in the aerospace force, and 120,000 in the rocket force. There are 450,000 people in the Airborne Army, in addition to 200,000 people in the Internal Guards.

The smoke-filled Azov Steel Plant

html Over the past 230 years, why has the Russian army been tirelessly reducing its army?

Judging from the impact of the Gulf War, the Russian military seems to have been confused by the appearance of the US military and was "fooled" by the West. After the Gulf War, the Russian military saw the power of the US military's "air-ground integration" and began to deliberately strengthen the coordination between its air force and ground forces. Starting in 1992, the army was reduced step by step. In 1996, the army was reduced from 4.3 million to 1.7 million, including 400,000 in the army.

At this time, the Russian Army has accounted for less than a quarter of the total army, and its status has also changed from the protagonist to a supporting role.

The defeat in the first Chechen War in 1994 exposed many problems in Russia's military reform. The shortage of army troops and the sharp decline in combat effectiveness were the most prominent contradictions. However, the then President Yeltsin not only failed to "step back from the brink", but instead used Defense Minister Grachev as a scapegoat and dismissed him from his post.However, after Commander Sergeyev of the Strategic Rocket Force took office, he still significantly reduced the army.

When the Second Chechen War broke out in 1999, the Russian army had less than 320,000 soldiers. After the reform, the combat effectiveness of the Russian Army has improved. The victory of the Second Chechen War also covered up the shortcomings of the Russian Army's lack of ability to attack critical difficulties. After Putin took office, due to NATO continued to expand eastward, a series of issues related to military reform have always been overshadowed by the confrontation between the Russian army and NATO.

The subsequent local wars launched by Putin also strengthened the illusion of "successful military reform."

Georgian conflict

In the more than 20 years since Putin took office, the Russian army has participated in three local wars.

After entering the new century, the US military launched the Afghanistan War, Iraq War , Libyan War and Syrian War . Not to be outdone, the Russian army has also been involved in the Georgian War, the Syrian War and the Russo-Ukrainian War. The great success of the Russian army in the first two local wars also made Putin complacent before launching the Russia-Ukraine war, and he underestimated the military strength of Ukraine.

The military reform of the Russian army does have elements of "fudge" by the US military and other Western countries. This can be proved by Yeltsin and Putin's three attempts to join "NATO". However, while the Russian army has significantly reduced its army, the development of its aerospace force has not been smooth, and its navy has gradually become useless. Therefore, it seems biased to simply think that the Russian Army's "tiger fell into Pingyang" was the US military's "foolishness".

In fact, behind the military reform of the Russian military is the helplessness of the continuous decline in national power over the past 30 years, and the lack of strength and ambition.

According to World Bank statistics, Russia's GDP was US$517.9 billion in 1991, which was 1.4 times that of my country's US$379.5 billion. Starting in 1992, China and Russia started market-oriented reforms almost at the same time. However, 30 years later, Russia's GDP was US$1.77 trillion, less than one-tenth of China's US$18.03 trillion, and lower than Guangdong (US$1.92 trillion) and Jiangsu (USD 18,000).

A clever woman cannot make a meal without rice, and the Russian army only has the "nuclear stick" to wield in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Judging from the experience of the Russo-Ukrainian War and the reform of the Russian army, there are several points worth learning from our army.

First, having a world-class and powerful army at any time is always the foundation of our army.

Our army has always been our magic weapon from Nanchang Uprising , Autumn Harvest Uprising and Guangzhou Uprising . Whether it was the Agrarian Revolution, the Anti-Japanese War and the War of Liberation, or even the weak against the strong to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea . In the eyes of foreign media, our army is even ahead of the United States, Germany, Japan, and Russia.

Second, military reform can significantly reduce the army and increase the combined army, air force, navy, and special forces, but the status of the army cannot be reduced.

As a standard land power country and a responsible big country, our army has always dominated the world with its army. Therefore, retaining a certain amount of land force is necessary for our country's defense strength. Even in the future, the Army will always be the cornerstone of the development and qualitative change of comprehensive military power.

Third, the rapid development of the economy and real industries, including the military industry, are powerful backing for military development.

Russia’s economic reform over the past 30 years cannot be said to be successful: most resources are monopolized by oligopoly , and the vitality is insufficient and the order is chaotic; " deindustrialization " has wiped out all advantageous industries, and is reduced to living on resources and energy; "imbalance of priorities" has made The consumer market and business are very sluggish. Even the mascot for the 2018 World Cup cannot be made. We still found and Ali on the Internet to solve the problem.

The 10,000-ton large-scale propeller under construction

The most important point is that the development and reform of our military must be based on ourselves. We must not be fooled by the superficiality of the US military, let alone ignore the national conditions and follow the trend. While vigorously developing aircraft carriers, large-scale propellers, and large transport aircraft and bombers, we must always maintain the Army's global competitiveness. Only through the coordinated development of the land, sea and air arms can we build on the past, face the future, and move towards a path of sound development.

The Russia-Ukraine war tells us that in future wars, the army, navy, and air force will all be the protagonists, and no one will be a supporting role.

[To cultivate positive energy and promote the history of war, contributions are welcome and private messages will be replied]

When the Second Chechen War broke out in 1999, the Russian army had less than 320,000 soldiers. After the reform, the combat effectiveness of the Russian Army has improved. The victory of the Second Chechen War also covered up the shortcomings of the Russian Army's lack of ability to attack critical difficulties. After Putin took office, due to NATO continued to expand eastward, a series of issues related to military reform have always been overshadowed by the confrontation between the Russian army and NATO.

The subsequent local wars launched by Putin also strengthened the illusion of "successful military reform."

Georgian conflict

In the more than 20 years since Putin took office, the Russian army has participated in three local wars.

After entering the new century, the US military launched the Afghanistan War, Iraq War , Libyan War and Syrian War . Not to be outdone, the Russian army has also been involved in the Georgian War, the Syrian War and the Russo-Ukrainian War. The great success of the Russian army in the first two local wars also made Putin complacent before launching the Russia-Ukraine war, and he underestimated the military strength of Ukraine.

The military reform of the Russian army does have elements of "fudge" by the US military and other Western countries. This can be proved by Yeltsin and Putin's three attempts to join "NATO". However, while the Russian army has significantly reduced its army, the development of its aerospace force has not been smooth, and its navy has gradually become useless. Therefore, it seems biased to simply think that the Russian Army's "tiger fell into Pingyang" was the US military's "foolishness".

In fact, behind the military reform of the Russian military is the helplessness of the continuous decline in national power over the past 30 years, and the lack of strength and ambition.

According to World Bank statistics, Russia's GDP was US$517.9 billion in 1991, which was 1.4 times that of my country's US$379.5 billion. Starting in 1992, China and Russia started market-oriented reforms almost at the same time. However, 30 years later, Russia's GDP was US$1.77 trillion, less than one-tenth of China's US$18.03 trillion, and lower than Guangdong (US$1.92 trillion) and Jiangsu (USD 18,000).

A clever woman cannot make a meal without rice, and the Russian army only has the "nuclear stick" to wield in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Judging from the experience of the Russo-Ukrainian War and the reform of the Russian army, there are several points worth learning from our army.

First, having a world-class and powerful army at any time is always the foundation of our army.

Our army has always been our magic weapon from Nanchang Uprising , Autumn Harvest Uprising and Guangzhou Uprising . Whether it was the Agrarian Revolution, the Anti-Japanese War and the War of Liberation, or even the weak against the strong to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea . In the eyes of foreign media, our army is even ahead of the United States, Germany, Japan, and Russia.

Second, military reform can significantly reduce the army and increase the combined army, air force, navy, and special forces, but the status of the army cannot be reduced.

As a standard land power country and a responsible big country, our army has always dominated the world with its army. Therefore, retaining a certain amount of land force is necessary for our country's defense strength. Even in the future, the Army will always be the cornerstone of the development and qualitative change of comprehensive military power.

Third, the rapid development of the economy and real industries, including the military industry, are powerful backing for military development.

Russia’s economic reform over the past 30 years cannot be said to be successful: most resources are monopolized by oligopoly , and the vitality is insufficient and the order is chaotic; " deindustrialization " has wiped out all advantageous industries, and is reduced to living on resources and energy; "imbalance of priorities" has made The consumer market and business are very sluggish. Even the mascot for the 2018 World Cup cannot be made. We still found and Ali on the Internet to solve the problem.

The 10,000-ton large-scale propeller under construction

The most important point is that the development and reform of our military must be based on ourselves. We must not be fooled by the superficiality of the US military, let alone ignore the national conditions and follow the trend. While vigorously developing aircraft carriers, large-scale propellers, and large transport aircraft and bombers, we must always maintain the Army's global competitiveness. Only through the coordinated development of the land, sea and air arms can we build on the past, face the future, and move towards a path of sound development.

The Russia-Ukraine war tells us that in future wars, the army, navy, and air force will all be the protagonists, and no one will be a supporting role.

[To cultivate positive energy and promote the history of war, contributions are welcome and private messages will be replied]