People's Volunteer Army

People's Volunteer Army (PVA) was an euphemism for the Chinese People's Liberation Army during the Korean War used by some people. It was used by the PRC (People's Republic of China) chiefly to avoid direct diplomatic confrontation with the US. The name also helped to delude the US intelligence about the size and nature of the Chinese army who entered Korea, as some Americans believed that the PVA was merely a rabble of untrained volunteers.

Others think it is not just an euphemism. During the Korean War, China recruited many young men and women to fight the US as they invaded North Korea, citing the reason that the invasion endangered the newly formed People's Republic of China. The popular view of this war outside communist world is different. For more details, see Korean War.