Even as China embarks on a massive military buildup, America comforts itself with an ironclad belief: As with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, superior Communist numbers will be undercut by rigid command and clumsy tactics that can be exploited by more agile U.S. forces. But what if China embraces the more flexible Western concept of mission command? “A Chinese military that fully embraces mission command would likely lead to improved operational performance, with quicker decision-making,