How Did the PLA's Color Code Work?
Added 2026-01-08 23:11:17 +0000 UTCIn 1955, the PLA tried to copy something of the Soviet Army's organizational structure, with around 100 kinds of service branches. That was hard enough on the soldiers, but it challenged the quartermasters with another problem: How to tell everyone apart?! They had to distinguish the infantry grunts from the air defense signalmen, from the air force veterinarians, from the navy transport corps cultural performance troupe. So they introduced a baroque system of uniforms that made a Prince concert look bland and color-coded all the service members like an episode of The Muppet Show.
Comrades who like to eat their historical vegetables will find a flavor palette of phytochemicals and other nutrients as potent as the Type 55 uniform's spectrum of shoulder boards and collar tabs was outlandish.
This is Part 1 of a three-part (!) sub-series on the Type 55 uniform.
