Chinese Views of Future Warfare

By Michael Pillsbury

Book Overview

Michael Pillsbury's new book ... is must reading for every executive of every Western firm doing business in China, and every Member of Congress.... Readers will be impressed ... by China's ambitions in space, information warfare, stealth, and robots, in future warfare.... No one with serious interests in East Asia can afford not to have read this book." Robert Ellsworth, Former Deputy Defense Secretary "American relations with the People's Republic of China have now become the single most critical bilateral relationship in the world. On it rests the stability of East Asia, and it represents the most significant challenge to the effectiveness of U.S. foreign policy, Yet far too little is known about China, and in particular how the Chinese military think about the future. Michael Pillsbury has performed a signal service in selecting, translating, and interpreting these revealing and hard-to-obtain writings by senior Chinese officers, The reader is in for a surprise. Rather than parading the tired slogans of People's War, these analysts examine a military future marked by 'information deterrence', 'crippling attacks on information systems' and similar notions and by a search for 'new measures of effectiveness.' The future remains uncertain, but the best preparation--- as Sun Tzu might say--- is to understand the mind of those with whom we must deal." James Schlesinger, Former Director of Central Intelligence and Former Secretary of Defense "This book reflects the keen interest that its sponsor, the Director of Net Assessment, Andy Marshall, has shown in Chinese views of a potential revolution in military affairs. The translation and publication of these articles enhance our understanding of how some of China's authoritative military strategists see the revolution in military affairs in the 21st century." William Perry Former Secretary of Defense

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1579060358
• ISBN13: 9781579060350
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Natl Defense Univ Pr
• Length: 421 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Important writings on modern Chinese strategic thought

"Chinese Views of Future Warfare," edited by Michael Pillsbury is a somewhat dated compendium of writings by military authors and strategists from the People's Republic of China. Even so, the book is a rare and important collection of thought on national military strategy and operational art. The book's most relevant section, given China's anti-missile test (January 2007) and burgeoning economy (now roughly three-quarters the size of America's), is that on the Revolution in Military Affairs. Most of these pieces were written not long after the United States and its allies overran Iraq in the 1990-91 Gulf War. The speed and low cost of that victory over a numerically superior force caused some significant soul searching among Chinese strategists. The most common thread being: develop the commercial sector, then exploit new technologies and methods to achieve superiority. Topics discussed with some intensity include: space combat, stealth and counterstealth, computer and communications attack (paralysis of command), and winning a war without actually fighting. The understanding one comes away with after reading "Chinese Views" is that of a very robust and sophisticated debate on the future direction of Chinese national power and how to best serve the leadership in Beijing with it. This debate clearly shifted after the impressive U.S. victory over Iraq in the Gulf War in 1990-91. Given the time elapsed since then, it is likely that many of the more innovative policy prescriptions have already been implemented, greatly enhancing the combat effectiveness of the armed forces of the People's Republic of China. For students of China, this book rates 4 stars as it is showing its age. For the casually curious, only 3 stars. Reviewer: Chuck DeVore is a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010, a California State Assemblyman, he served as a Special Assistant for Foreign Affairs in the Department of Defense from 1986 to 1988, retired from the Army National Guard as a lieutenant colonel, and is the co-author of "China Attacks."