Unrestricted Warfare: Two Air Force Senior Colonels on Scenarios for War and the Operational Art in an Era of Globalization

by Qiao Liang, Wang Xiangsui

Unrestricted Warfare: Two Air Force Senior Colonels on Scenarios for War and the Operational Art in an Era of Globalization (simplified Chinese: 超限战; traditional Chinese: 超限戰; literal translation: 'warfare beyond bounds') is a book on military strategy written in 1999 by two colonels in the People's Liberation Army, Qiao Liang (乔良) and Wang Xiangsui (王湘穗). Its primary concern is how a nation such as China can defeat a technologically superior opponent (such as the United States) through a variety of means. Rather than focusing on direct military confrontation, this book instead examines a variety of other means such as political warfare. Such means include using legal tools (see lawfare) and economic means as leverage over one's opponent and circumvent the need for direct military action.

Genres: Military Fiction, Politics

228 pages, ebook

First published February 1, 1999

Reviews

[Zachary Siegel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The general thesis is valuable, but it could have been argued just as effectively in an essay.

[John Engberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book! But Parts of it hard to understand. Written by two Chinese colonels who discuss how to take out a super pose—like America. Makes clear case that warfare will look different in 21st-century. Written in 1999. Prophetic.

War will look different. We are experiencing this now: psychological warfare, smuggling warfare, media warfare, drug warfare, technological warfare, resources, warfare, cultural warfare, medical and pharmaceutical warfare. Everything can be used as war.

Everything Covid was a war. If you understand this, you understand reality.

In a globalist world, Nation-state interests are less important than non-state, supranational powers.

“Perhaps not many people have noticed, but the factors described above our leading us to an era of transformation in which great power politics are yielding to supra national politics” Pg. 156.

America is being invaded. America is being destroyed. This is globalism, which is moving us to global governance. America must rise up against it. If you disagreed read this book.

[Mark K. Vogl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unrestricted Warfare is a must read for all professional military officers, and people working in the field of national security and foreign policy. It is comparable to Clausewitz' On War, or Jomini's Art of War. It is both theoretical and operational. It describes a new world of warfare where all domains are potential theatres of war. It is a clear wake up call to the American people. The release of this document to the general public by the Chinese Communist Party is hard to understand because it basically reports...anything goes for China to replace the United States as the single greatest power on the planet.

This work is well written and translated to English. It is available on the internet.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5⭐A good, well thought out book about military tactics. The author ties in Sun Tzu's strategies and how they were applied in the 1990s and they should be applied in future conflicts. Enjoyed this and would recommend.

[Micah Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept, but highly repetitive and read as though written by an early variant of ChatGBT.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary insight to how chinese military views american military for that time period. Naturally a book like this becomes obsolete as years pass.

[Nathan Isaacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for anyone wanting to understand CCP/CMC/PLA perception of US military doctrine and strategy.

[Maximiliaan del Pjienso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting yet somewhat long winded.

[Jack Dawes · Rating 2 out of 5]

From all the hype I really expected more from this book. There is nothing new to any student of war to be found here.