Under the Nuclear Shadow - (Princeton Studies in International History and Politics) by Fiona S Cunningham

About the Book

"How and why China has pursued information-age weapons to gain leverage against its adversaries"--Publisher's website.

Book Synopsis

How and why China has pursued information-age weapons to gain leverage against its adversaries

How can states use military force to achieve their political aims without triggering a catastrophic nuclear war? Among the states facing this dilemma of fighting limited wars, only China has given information-age weapons such a prominent role. While other countries have preferred the traditional options of threatening to use nuclear weapons or fielding capabilities for decisive conventional military victories, China has instead chosen to rely on offensive cyber operations, counterspace capabilities, and precision conventional missiles to coerce its adversaries. In Under the Nuclear Shadow, Fiona Cunningham examines this distinctive aspect of China's post-Cold War deterrence strategy, developing an original theory of "strategic substitution." When crises with the United States highlighted the inadequacy of China's existing military capabilities, Cunningham argues, China pursued information-age weapons that promised to rapidly provide credible leverage against adversaries.

Drawing on hundreds of original Chinese-language sources and interviews with security experts in China, Cunningham provides a rare and candid glimpse from Beijing into the information-age technologies that are reshaping how states gain leverage in the twenty-first century. She offers unprecedented insights into the trajectory of China's military modernization, as she details the strengths and weaknesses of China's strategic substitution approach. Under the Nuclear Shadow also looks ahead at the uncertain future of China's strategic substitution approach and briefly explores too how other states might seize upon the promise of emerging technologies to address weaknesses in their own military strategies.

Review Quotes

"Through an analysis of internal debates and decision-making processes, the book offers a nuanced understanding of China's evolving strategic approach. . . . [S]cholars and policy-makers should read this book, the former to broaden their intellectual horizons and the latter to develop new approaches to dealing with China."---Rabia Akhtar, International Affairs

"Under the Nuclear Shadow is a critical contribution to understanding the rationales informing China's military force posture and evolving approach to deterrence. . . . [T]his work raises critical questions as the Chinese military looks to the future of power and warfare."---Elsa B. Kania, Arms Control Today

"[An] excellent book. . . . Highly recommended."-- "Choice"

About the Author

Fiona S. Cunningham is assistant professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania.