A Measure Short of War: A Brief History of Great Power Subversion

Kastner (war studies, King’s Coll. London) and Wohlforth (government, Dartmouth Coll.; coeditor, History of International Relations and Russian Foreign Policy in the 20th Century) answer questions about the 2016 and 2024 U.S. presidential elections by illustrating that subversion between rival nations has been common throughout history. They define “subversion” as being beyond diplomacy but not war. They offer historical examples, spanning from classical antiquity and early modern Europe (Spain vs. England) to the 19th- and 20th-century wars. At every point, the book illustrates why nations might choose subversion rather than open aggression, which could lead to war. Readers may be particularly interested in the chapters about recent efforts. There was a brief time of low subversion during the 1990s, somewhat encouraged by what the authors describe as the “unipolarity” of the United States as a world power. That period quickly ended, and the U.S., they assert, now fears subversion attempts from both Russia and China. The authors note that, as in the past, defense, deterrence, and diplomacy are necessary, and none of this is new. History often repeats itself.