Lecture of Opportunity | Dan Blumenthal: Assessing the Sino-American Military Balance
Channel: U.S. Naval War College
Date: 2014-11-04

Dan Blumenthal, “Assessing the Sino-American Military Balance: Why Politics and Grand Strategy Matter,” Lecture of Opportunity, Oct. 30, 2014.

In assessing the military balance in the Asia-Pacific region, we must first explore the competing political objectives and grand strategies of Washington and Beijing. If we neglect to engage in this larger discussion, then the formulation of military strategy will devolve into narrow-gauged debates over capabilities, tactics, and technologies. This lecture discusses the military capabilities and military strategies of each country within the context of their respective political objectives and their grand strategic concepts for achieving those aims. The lecture also assesses the two powers’ successes in using the military instruments of power to achieve their sometimes conflicting goals.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed are the speaker's own and may not necessarily reflect the views of the Naval War College, the Department of the Navy, the Department of Defense, or any other branch or agency of the U.S. Government.