The Hundred-Year Marathon

Publisher's Summary

One of the US government's leading China experts reveals the hidden strategy fueling that country's rise - and how Americans have been seduced into helping China overtake us as the world's leading superpower.

For more than 40 years, the United States has played an indispensable role in helping the Chinese government build a booming economy, develop its scientific and military capabilities, and take its place on the world stage in the belief that China's rise will bring us cooperation, diplomacy, and free trade. But what if the "China dream" is to replace us, just as America replaced the British Empire, without firing a shot?

Based on interviews with Chinese defectors and newly declassified, previously undisclosed national security documents, The Hundred-Year Marathon reveals China's secret strategy to supplant the United States as the world's dominant power and to do so by 2049, the one-hundredth anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic. Michael Pillsbury, a fluent Mandarin speaker who has served in senior national security positions in the US government since the days of Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger, draws on his decades of contact with the "hawks" in China's military and intelligence agencies and translates their documents, speeches, and books to show how the teachings of traditional Chinese statecraft underpin their actions. He offers an inside look at how the Chinese really view America and its leaders - as barbarians who will be the architects of their own demise.

Pillsbury also explains how the US government has helped - sometimes unwittingly and sometimes deliberately - to make this "China dream" come true, and he calls for the United States to implement a new, more competitive strategy toward China as it really is and not as we might wish it to be. The Hundred-Year Marathon is a wake-up call as we face the greatest national security challenge of the 21st century.

©2015 Michael Pillsbury (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Fascinating perspective.

This is the 3rd book in a row that I've read on China. For some it may be helpful to learn more of China's history and culture before jumping into Pillsbury's book. I recommend "The China Mirage" by James Bradley and then "On China" by Henry Kissinger -- both available from Audible.

Pillsbury apparently writes from deep experience and admits that some of his past opinions on China's cooperative behavior have now changed. His revelations and warnings are very compelling.

Definitely worth a read.

9 of 10 people found this review helpful

Providing direction for the next 2 decades

-I learnt quite a bit and I have a Masters degree in the same subject.
-That being said, a lot of the things I had researched by myself was confirmed in this book, and confirmed by a man who has the practical experience & political clout.
-Clearly this book, & the man behind it - Michael Pillsbury is having a huge effect on the current administration but also waking up both side to what China (CCP) has been getting away with for years, and what it intends to get away with.
-A lot of this information has been available in the scholarly & life experience sphere for decades, however people have never paid attention to it, or had 'bigger things' to pay attention to, -- the fact that this comes from a man who has been advisor to multiple administrations since Reagan & worked across the board in understanding the exact situation, plus he speaks Chinese & has routinely talked with the leadership & decision makers throughout the last 30 years or so...well, all this information suddenly becomes very difficult to ignore.

-The narration is good, however I wish Michael Pillsbury himself read it, as a few of the chinese terms weren't pronounced correctly, or with a heavy accent. (Easier to look up concepts, if you can hear what its meant to be)

-The structure was very easy to follow, explaining historical thinking, lessons learnt, modern Chinese strategy, ideology & then things the USA has done for aid, & the things the CCP has done to deny its people the knowledge of any of that.
-Plus, I finally get the main reason for why China wants to depose the USA.
-All in all, a great book that i've recommended to several China scholars, family, & friends that have spent time living & working in China.
-It's a must read if you're a politician, strategist, China scholar, or ...just have a general interest in world affairs. Incredibly interesting stuff
-Considering that the PLA have translations of it, & obviously don't allow for normal distribution, I wonder what their opinion on this is, now that Pillsbury has exposed a lot of how they think.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Important book to understand China

Helps understand President Trumps approach to China and the reasons why his approach is in our best interests.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

A wake-up call

An important book that should be a wake-up call to Americans about our policy toward China.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Must read for understanding China today

Fascinating, intriguing, sometimes frightening narrative of what Chinese leadership is planning for it’s future; intentionally hidden from western eyes leading to current misunderstandings of the strategy & policy of China today. Invaluable contribution for awareness and understanding of what is and what is not a threat our future.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

interesting in a scary way

although a bit on the dry side the author managed to keep my attention in that my fear of the future rose as read

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Eye Opening

I have heard for years about how China has manipulated the United States. After listening to this book, it's worse than I thought. Even our leaders at the highest levels have been deceived. Hey America, it's not the Russians, it's the Chinese we should be focusing on, this stuff is real.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Terrifying and incredibly insightful

Backs up everything I know about China and Asian Confucian thinking. A must read and sobering look into past failures with China and China's future goals for it's place in the world. As for America, if it does not even know it is in a competition, it seems doomed to fail.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Hawkish!

Brings up plenty of good points to ponder but little to act on outside of policy makers. Also, the rhetoric is so anti-Chinese that it brings many of his accusations into question. Good audio book but im glad I didn't buy the paper copy.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

Exceptional<br />

A comprehensive examination from ancient China to today of the Chinese mindset.

Very sobering and highly recommended!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful