Peace Through Strength
Never trust a communist unless you can verify, and verifying China is very difficult.
By Laurence F. Sanford
“Peace Through Strength” was the motto of President Ronald Reagan.
“Peace Through Strength” is the motto of President-elect Donald Trump.
“Peace Through Strength” was first recorded during the reign of Roman emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD) at the height of the empire. America’s first president, George Washington, well understood the concept when, in his address to Congress in 1793, he said, “If we desire to secure peace … it must be known that we are at all times ready for war.” President Theodore Roosevelt was famous for his “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”
Bernard Baruch’s 1952 book Peace through Strength was written during the Korean War when the U.S.-led coalition of United Nations forces was fighting North Korea and Communist China. Baruch recommended:
- Military buildup
- Economic strength
- Unified national defense system
- International cooperation
- Preparedness
The American Security Council Foundation (ASCF), established in 1958, advocated for Baruch’s policies and adopted its motto, “Peace Through Strength.” The 1966 Barry Goldwater presidential campaign advocated for “peace through strength.”
ASCF was an early pioneer in mass-mailing marketing and built a powerful Peace Through Strength coalition in Washington, DC, which included leaders in business, the military, and Congress. Ronald Reagan advocated “Peace Through Strength” throughout his presidency and bestowed an award on Dr. Henry A. Fischer, current president of ASCF, for his work in fighting communism.
With the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States became the world’s sole superpower. The need for military spending diminished and the call for “Peace Through Strength” lost appeal. In 1992, Francis Fukuyama published The End of History and the Last Man. It argued that mankind had reached the end of ideological evolution with the demise of communism in the Soviet Union and that Western Civilization had won. Liberal democracy was to be the final form of all governments. Fukuyama did not factor in the ideologies of Islam or Chinese communism, nor did he factor in the decline of the U.S. due to Marxist progressive leaders in politics, education, industry, and media.
Samuel Huntington wrote a 1993 essay, “The Clash of Civilizations,” in direct response to The End of History. He argued that the ancient conflict between civilizations is replacing the conflict between ideologies. The dominant civilization decides the form of human government. He especially singled out Islam, which he described as having “bloody borders.”
Communist China is following the strategy of ancient philosopher Sun Tzu’s book The Art of War. The 13 chapters discuss various methods of winning a war, summarized as knowing oneself, knowing one’s enemy, and gathering intelligence. The most successful way to win a war is never to fight (subvert the enemy from within).
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has built the world’s second-largest economy with state-led capitalism by stealing technology and intellectual property from the U.S. and other advanced societies. The value of these thefts is hundreds of billions of dollars.
The CCP has rapidly modernized and increased its military capabilities in conjunction with building the economy. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy is now the world’s largest, with a shipbuilding capacity 230 times that of the U.S.
The CCP also follows the American naval thinker Admiral Alfred Mahan’s work The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, which argued that sea power and control of the seas were decisive in the rise of the British Empire.
Chinese corporations control major seaport facilities worldwide. They manage both the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean entrances to the Panama Canal. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently inaugurated a massive $1.3 billion Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) deep-water port in Peru to facilitate trade between China and Peru and other South American countries. Brazil is building a $3.5 billion railroad line to Peru to facilitate the flow of Brazilian soybeans and iron ore to China. President Xi recently visited Brazil and was welcomed by President Lula, who said the two countries are “reliable friends with a shared destiny and positive forces to promote peace.”
Summary
China is waging unrestricted warfare against the United States. All organs of Chinese society are engaged in strengthening China and weakening the U.S. Never trust a communist unless you can verify, and verifying China is very difficult due to its pervasive security systems, media control, and Marxist ideology of deception.
The American people and political leadership increasingly understand the need for “Peace Through Strength.”
- President-elect Trump has invoked the phrase to convey his desire for peace and avoiding war.
- Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, the incoming secretary of state subject to Senate confirmation, introduced the “Taiwan Peace Through Strength Act” in 2023.
- Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi released his “21st Century Peace Through Strength: A Generational Investment in the U.S. Military.”
Action
- Recognize that China and its allies of Russia, Iran, and North Korea are waging unrestricted warfare against the United States.
- Rebuild the U.S. military and its supporting infrastructure.
- Update U.S. laws to allow foreign American allies to supply military ships and other defense materials.
- Reciprocity should be the foundation of U.S. foreign policy. If a nation or organization conducts unfriendly actions, the U.S. should reciprocate.
- Increase “gray zone” soft power activities promoting American civilization, as opposed to totalitarian or autocratic countries.
Laurence F. Sanford is a senior analyst at the American Security Council Foundation.
