Taiwan in T2K

[Legbreaker]

Thailand isn't a great comparison though. It's further away from the action by a thousand miles or so, and doesn't straddle any major shipping routes (adjacent to, but not actually on like Taiwan). Additionally, none of the major combatants need to shift supplies through the area.
It's too far from the action to be used as an air base, and there's potentially hostile countries in the way as well.

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Thailand isn't a great comparison though. It's further away from the action by a thousand miles or so, and doesn't straddle any major shipping routes (adjacent to, but not actually on like Taiwan). Additionally, none of the major combatants need to shift supplies through the area.
It's too far from the action to be used as an air base, and there's potentially hostile countries in the way as well.

In general, I agree, but the v1.0 timeline does list Soviet forces in Vietnam and Thailand could provide airbases for Allied attacks on said.

[Legbreaker]

How significant are those Soviet forces though? Could be aircraft from Taiwan were judged sufficient to keep tabs on them and drop the occasional load of bombs on them...

[Olefin]

The Soviet forces in the original timeline in Vietnam were pretty significant - there was a Front assigned there with several divisions that were taking on the Chinese along with the Vietnamese - more than enough that they could have been a significant threat to Thailand as well.

Again this could be a matter of what timeline you are using - the V1 timeline had them there, the V2 timeline doesnt

[Olefin]

FYI if you are looking at the V1 timeline most likely the US never pulls out of Subic Bay and Clark Field in the Philippines even with the volcanic eruption there - so the place they would probably have their fleet deployments and USAF support elements for China very well would be there especially if what they are doing is keeping the sealanes open for shipments to China and Japan

[RN7]

Taiwan at this time is nearly exclusively armed with U.S. supplied equipment although some local made content was also starting to appear. If Taiwan did send an expeditionary force to mainland China to aid the PRC it would be a natural conduit for NATO arms supplies to China. Taiwan was already using U.S. tanks, vehicles and artillery of various vintage unlike the PRC who would have to be trained in how to use and maintain them.

[Olefin]

Originally Posted by RN7

Taiwan at this time is nearly exclusively armed with U.S. supplied equipment although some local made content was also starting to appear. If Taiwan did send an expeditionary force to mainland China to aid the PRC it would be a natural conduit for NATO arms supplies to China. Taiwan was already using U.S. tanks, vehicles and artillery of various vintage unlike the PRC who would have to be trained in how to use and maintain them.

Only question would be would be if the Taiwanese prior to the Soviets obliterating the Chinese army and govt have been greeted with open arms or with bullets and shells - remember that China was preparing to possibly invade Taiwan in our timeline in the mid to late 90's - they were in the process of redeploying forces to face them and not the Soviets