The Rise of China (and the Fall of the US?)

BY: Alfred W. McCoy

America rose after World War II, with commanders aiming to control the Eurasian landmass and defeat Axis powers.

[{"selector":"#anim-b6e22b18-569c-4896-80d1-d6cfb32def77","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-640c7efb-ba2e-445b-bd09-b0e29a646a38","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 122.62944%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-74be456f-0139-4132-ab75-fd4ac6d45c42 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0.34743971477721736%, -2.1306816835442994%) scale(0.9090909090909091)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Past geopolitics, shaped by legendary generals, still impact the world, as Beijing's global reach echoes Washington's.

[{"selector":"#anim-7f75c617-a25d-4499-9a0e-5530b54d3c8d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(1.2160390017202698%, -1.978490115018535%) scale(0.9090909090909091)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-43d81f21-f6f6-41ab-9729-c6b02d9be38d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c88d8aba-d473-4f01-8a9b-c574c9651c6e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 122.62944%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

China's gain equals America's loss. Beijing's every move to control Eurasia weakens Washington's presence and power.

[{"selector":"#anim-05e3ea44-7efb-4335-8d95-62c126e1de33 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-0.05790661912953838%, -1.978490115018535%) scale(0.9090909090909091)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba8e171b-f8d0-4004-a0cf-7828b3f5b209","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7f9ad211-81a5-4c71-97e4-10224db170e0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 119.22705%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

WWII U.S. generals intuitively knew how to respond to future Moscow-Beijing alliance after lessons in geopolitics.

[{"selector":"#anim-a826ac0e-ec22-48ff-8627-74a8c1b56c4b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0.17371985738861062%, -2.1306816835442994%) scale(0.9090909090909091)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d745df56-1d22-46fb-bb81-568e99460425","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d91c7935-09fc-4302-ab37-e85871c7e93c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 123.57487%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Marshall Plan rebuilt Europe, forming NATO, and Eisenhower signed security pacts, creating a strategic hinge for US power.

[{"selector":"#anim-95079b5f-2094-4489-8f38-c4ed2a653db4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(1.2160390017202698%, -2.282873252070069%) scale(0.9090909090909091)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-adad10b7-bd4e-4fda-b796-be913476d698","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7954b276-0783-4749-a94b-307bb6d99c06","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 123.57487%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

US leaders dominated Eurasia after WWII, with military bases and fleets to constrain communist powers.

[{"selector":"#anim-a15fe931-13f3-4741-be67-ea7687f13f27 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0.752786048683975%, -2.282873252070069%) scale(0.9090909090909091)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-99f5a884-96b0-4064-9e05-692b3ea6b8ff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c4de60c9-960a-4cc6-ace3-3764d73e74e9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 128.39508%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Containment strategy allowed US to wait as Sino-Soviet bloc crumbled, USSR's failed interventions contributed to its collapse.

[{"selector":"#anim-f1f8b34b-d0fb-4b31-aa7a-2db45e70ee65 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-0.17371985738860996%, -1.6741069779669953%) scale(0.9090909090909091)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f086a612-f91f-4aa8-9c60-0ccbf8f89592","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-473fcddd-3f92-4236-850e-28738e703b2f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 123.52353%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Washington's foreign-policy leaders let global power slip away after Cold War victory and Fukuyama's "end of history" argument.

[{"selector":"#anim-e513e45e-e34a-472a-a252-d169d449ac10 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0.34743971477721736%, -1.978490115018535%) scale(0.9090909090909091)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62ddeeeb-b92f-4bbd-95a9-a3829041a774","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-849a05ad-80b6-43e7-8aed-9c7c0f22e243","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 123.57487%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

CLICK HERE TO READ

[{"selector":"#anim-35f59e91-ad9a-4d17-889d-ce1abc5d2f61","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]