Reporting from the government-owned media news spread via social media through China quickly. Citizens were appalled that despite so called "successes" their cities were now being attacked, and demanded that their local party bosses stop the madness. Students were once again in the streets, and were being joined by other demographics - from factory worker to rocket scientist.
The Chinese military had suffered greatly with the loss of much of its offensive air and sea power, as well as having expended most of its precision weapons. It was forced to shift power to meet the threat to the south and the only offensive option it had involved nuclear weapons. By all accounts usage of these weapons would yield an unacceptable result worldwide, and there was little or no support within the ranks to use them. What the Chinese military could do offensively was at an end, and it was now focused on defending the homeland from attack.
The Chinese politburo had gambled and now seeing the enemy’s stronger hand had decided it was time to fold. China had broken the first chain and caused significant damage to their adversaries’ militaries. The cost was the Chinese people were angered, and the military had suffered great losses of life and conventional resources. The only option left was nuclear, which would lead to an unacceptable outcome. The good news was the US and its allies were in much the same predicament. Invasion and further action against China would lead to high casualties with minimal gain. The decision was made to continue the battle at the negotiation table, where some semblance of a victory might yet be achieved.
The United States and its allies were happy the tide of battle had turned, but were at a loss at what could be done. The invasion and recapture of Okinawa was a priority but would be very costly to US and Japanese forces. US and South Korean forces had stopped the North Korean attack cold and savaged the NK military; but it was likely to take months if not years to invade, win and conduct a large nation-building campaign. Many more forces would be needed to generate the combat power to do all this, and given the public’s sentiment now it was definitely not in budget.
When the great powers met at the negotiation table, they all agreed that despite their differences the conflict needed to come to an end for the greater good of all. China agreed to withdraw combat forces from Okinawa under the conditions that this island and others along the first chain would not be militarized by the United States. This was readily accepted. Both sides also agreed that the stabilization and rebuilding of a now leaderless North Korea was critical, and that South Korea and China should play key roles in this. Chinese peacekeepers quickly rolled across the border to restore order while aid flowed northward from South Korea. Reunification talks would commence in the years ahead. No further concessions were granted and all forces withdrew back to their homeports and bases.
The war had ended, and like two great warriors that had drawn each other’s blood and then been forced to retire from the field of battle the warring sides did not rest easy. They all began the process of rearming and strategizing how the next great battle would be and how the map would be redrawn. A temporary peace was here, but the match was not set and the game was hardly over. Thus a new Cold War was born.