The Military History of China: From 1218 to the Present Day

by Erik Durschmied

A dramatic survey of a millennium of monumental collisions between China and the West.

Long the world’s most populous country, China has always flexed its muscles beyond its borders. Today, China stands on the threshold of global economic domination, a true rival to the United in a generation or so it will be twice as wealthy as the US, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy combined. Bestselling author Erik Durschmied traces China’s passage through a thousand years of war, colonial adventurism, and internecine politics, and seeks to understand what this huge and unstoppable country is today—as well as what the future holds for a fragile world in which China reigns as the latest economic and military superpower.

Genres: History

360 pages, Hardcover

Published November 6, 2018

About the author

is a cinematographer, producer, director and also an author, military history professor and a former war correspondent for BBC, CBS.

Reviews

[Ian Bonner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book hitting major points of Chinese military history. Not a very detailed book, but most of the things covered would have their own full length book. Definitely a fun read with good narrative history.

[Michael]

Terrible. Guilty of all the worst stereotypes of China writing: exotifying, mystifying etc. Filled with flowery language, constantly trying to make sweeping and grandiose claims. Highly repetitive, and contains some awful footnotes. If you're looking for a serious history of China, military or otherwise, this isn't it.