Second Taiwan Crisis. The Chinese People’s Army begins another massive bombardment of the coastal islands disputed a few years earlier. After 15 days, the bombardment ceases, only to resume for another 29 consecutive days. Finally, the Chinese adopt the almost farcical system of bombing the islands only on odd-numbered days of the month, avoiding sensitive targets, whether military or civilian, and warning the population beforehand. The casualties number around a thousand. The Chinese also give orders not to return fire if attacked by an American ship. The real objective of the war is to resume talks with the United States at the embassy level. However, the United States mobilizes the Seventh Fleet. The Pentagon is pessimistic: it believes that conventional forces alone will not be enough to stop the Chinese, and asks President Eisenhower for authorization to use nuclear weapons, which he denies (as his predecessor Truman had done in Korea). But there will be no need: Taiwan can defend itself thanks to the weapons it receives from the United States.
