With the completion of the synthetic reform of the PLA around 2015, the organizational structure of the PLA has undergone earth-shaking changes.
Synthetic troops of the People's Liberation Army
Previously, the PLA was a group army → division→ regiment → battalion structure, but now the composite unit is basically a group army → brigade → battalion structure.
In the context of a dramatic change in the structure of the troops, there was naturally a dramatic change in the promotion of commanders in the army.
Officer promotions
The most "hard" way to promote army commanders is naturally to rely on military merit. In the late 70s and late 80s of the last century, China and Vietnam fought a 10-year round war on the border.
Such a long period of time is naturally enough for many soldiers to accumulate military merits, so the promotion assessment of commanders at all levels of the PLA at that time was relatively simple, and it only depended on whether you had meritorious service.
At present, many generals and officers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army who are about 50 years old basically have a background of participating in the Sino-Vietnamese two-mountain round battle.
PLA fighters involved in the confrontation between China and Vietnam
But with the end of the Sino-Vietnamese border standoff, China has also entered a period of peace that has lasted for more than 30 years.
After entering a period of peace, the mainland will not be able to rely on military merit to determine the promotion of officers. Against this background, the promotion of PLA commanders at all levels mainly depends on their performance in peacetime.
It should be noted that China is a country that has a large number of military exercises every year, and some outstanding commanders and fighters in these exercises can be promoted through their performance in the exercises.
For example, in the 2014 Zhu Rihe military exercise, which was the first military exercise lost by the Blue Army in history, the Shenyang Military Region had a very outstanding "acting battalion commander".
Units participating in the Zhu Rihe military exercise
In this military exercise, the Shenyang Military Region suffered "heavy casualties," and the troops basically became a rout. At this time, the military exercise had not yet ended, and the Shenyang Military Region still had to organize the remaining troops to charge.
At this time, an "acting battalion commander" ran out, a tank by tank organized the remnants of the troops, and then another large-scale charge.
In that situation, many levels of the army lost their military commanders.
So this so-called "acting battalion commander" may have been a company commander or even an ordinary soldier before. But he was able to organize a group of "routs" in the event of a rout of the whole army, which proved his ability.
PLA tank cluster charge
Officers like this who perform well in military exercises are naturally more likely to be promoted after military exercises.
Although the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has carried out a synthetic military reform, the promotion of personnel in the army is still the same, and those who are excellent are promoted and those who are not qualified are eliminated.
And with the stabilization of the rank system, the promotion route of soldiers is also much more stable, not as chaotic as in the last century.
In the last century, PLA officers were promoted according to their positions. It may be that you are a battalion commander today, and then tomorrow you are promoted to regimental chief of staff or deputy regimental commander.
But now the promotion of officers in the People's Liberation Army is strictly based on military ranks.
PLA ranks
Today you are a major and deputy battalion commander, and then you are not eliminated by the army on the premise of sufficient military age, or if you have military merits, then you will be promoted to lieutenant colonel, and then become a battalion officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Synthetic troops are more complex
Of course, the reform of the integration of the armed forces has caused quite a few obstacles to the mainland's officer selection system.
This is because the internal structure of a synthetic army is much more complex than that of previous troops.
Before the 70s of the last century, the PLA troops were basically pure infantry.
At that time, a division could have a regiment or even a battalion of tanks. Then the tanks of this regiment naturally had to be concentrated and become units directly under the division.
PLA tank battalion in the 70s
Suppose an infantry regiment wants to attack an area and needs the help of tanks, then this infantry regiment reports to the division headquarters, and the division headquarters will send this tank regiment to fight.
The commander of the infantry regiment himself only needs to command the thousands of light infantry under his command.
But now there are not only infantry units under a synthetic force, but also helicopter troops, tank units, air defense units, and even electronic warfare units.
At present, a composite battalion has to command a large number of tank troops, and the commander of the composite battalion also needs to be responsible for a very large number of information ports and assume the responsibility of an "information center" at the battalion level.
Synthetic battalion commander training
Therefore, the current composite battalion and brigade units are much more difficult to command than the battalion and brigade units of the last century.
This requires PLA commanders to have stronger command capabilities, and officers who were able to command a brigade in the past may now be able to command only one battalion.
The fact that the PLA is introducing more and more "college student soldiers" is essentially because the synthetic units are becoming more and more complex and the requirements for the quality of personnel are getting higher and higher.
Seibei
Synthetic units are more combat-ready
Of course, the synthetic forces are becoming more and more complex, and the requirements for the quality of officers and soldiers are getting higher and higher, which also brings about higher and higher combat effectiveness.
In the past, a division divided dozens of tanks equally, but now a composite battalion has dozens of tanks.
In the past, a division had to concentrate these tanks and use them to inflict an assault on the enemy on a frontal battlefield.
But the most appropriate way to use a tank is to have it appear at the right time in a place that the enemy absolutely does not want to see.
For example, during World War II, German tank clusters bypassed the Ardennes Forest and appeared in completely unfortified places where the French army was completely unfortified.
German tank clusters
In the current synthetic troops, the tanks are completely dispersed, and the number of tanks is sufficient. This greatly increases the probability of the tank appearing in places where the enemy does not want to see it.
It is certainly a headache for a battalion commander to command dozens of tanks, but a battalion commander can directly command dozens of tank assault infantry fortifications that are difficult to gnaw down without asking his superiors for instructions, and the effect is completely different.
In addition, there are various information systems.
From the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression to the later War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, our army was very fond of playing infiltration operations, that is, dividing large-scale troops into several small-scale units and infiltrating the enemy's rear or flank on the battlefield, so as to strike at the enemy.
The Volunteer Army carried out tactical intersperse
This kind of infiltration operation highly tests the "subjective initiative" of the military commander, that is, the officer's personal judgment ability.
But if there are all kinds of information means, then these sister-in-law troops can receive information from the rear in real time, and even open the "full map hanging".
In this way, the troops playing infiltration operations can be more fast, accurate and ruthless, and can make more reasonable judgments according to the battlefield situation.
Resources:
[1] Observer.com, "The People's Liberation Army Should Practice the Synthetic Combat Model"
[2] China Military Network, "Thoughts on Strengthening the Construction of Afterloading Talent Team of Synthetic Troops"