ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the economic and logistical aspects of warfare. The defense industries in Communist China began their rise almost ex nihilo. After nearly a century of warfare, insurrection within, and disintegration of the ruling system, China was barely left with industrial infrastructure, capital wealth, or the science and technology needed to produce modern weaponry. Imperial China's military heritage should therefore be regarded as a basic element in the study of Communist China's military development. However, the ambivalent attitude to the military sphere in China's historiography and thinking impedes examination of past experience and perceptions. Imperial military power was thus seen as aimed at preserving imperial rule and political stability within China's traditional sphere, hence as essentially defensive and limited in its aspirations. Historical evidence also reflects the attempts by various Chinese rulers to limit military expenses. The attempt to reduce the costs of the army and its unpopularity also influenced the development of military technology in China.
