ABSTRACT
The early 1970s were a time of crisis in Chinese naval strategic thinking. The political authorities made peace with China's primary potential maritime foe, the United States, removing a major reason for naval development. Coverage of naval topics in the Chinese press during the 1971-1975 period gave a clear idea of the limited role the navy was to play. Dominant themes in press descriptions of naval operations were support to fishing fleets, search and rescue, and guarding against intruders. The basic criticism against the radicals was that their policy of obstructing naval development had been capitulationist and treasonous, leaving China open to Soviet attack and withholding from China's grasp a tool with which to pursue other national policies. The extensive "naval combined arms" exercises that began in 1979 developed from the desire and intention to be able to accomplish such ambitious naval missions.
