In this episode of the MWI Podcast, Maj. Jake Miraldi speaks to Dr. Graham Allison. Earlier this year, Dr. Allison completed his 22-year-long tenure as director of Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. His latest book—Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap?—examines the likelihood of war between the United States and China, based on a series of historical case studies in which a dominant power was confronted by a rising power.
That the book’s title takes the form of a question is important, because there are a range of complex and interconnected factors that will determine whether the two countries will fall into the trap that so many countries in similar situations have throughout history. In this fascinating conversation, Dr. Allison examines some of these factors and describes what he believes to be the most likely drivers of any future conflict between America and China.
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Note: this episode originally ran in 2017.
Image credit: Sgt. Mikki L. Sprenkle, US Army