Reply #8: the major difference between the US and other nations, historically

[northzax]

in warfare, is technical advancement. US doctrine places the lives of soldiers above the value of material. Not neccesarily the lives of others, of course, but we don't fight wars, well, on the cheap. In every war since the Civil War, the US has killed more people than it has lost, by a factor of several times. that technological superiority is how we can project power globally, unlike anyone else in history, while risking far fewer of our own lives to do so. The Soviets, for instance, had equal technology development, and certainly equal scientists, look at their success in the Space Program and aviation, for instance. The Soviets has superior armor, and far superior helicopters. The difference lay in the willingness to sacrifice lives, while the US moved closer to more surgical strikes and mass destruction, from afar, the Soviets relied on massed troops, armor and infantry, they did not pursue their technical advantages as much as they might have. The same issues lie with the Chinese military, too dependant, at this time, on masses of soldiers, and not enough emphasis on projection.