Col. Grant Newsham, a former reserve head of intelligence for Marine Forces Pacific, delivers a blow-by-blow account of how the threat has developed, from the growing skill and belligerence of the Chinese military to gray-zone campaigns to hollow out America’s will to resist—efforts that have now reached fruition.

The question is not whether the Chinese will attack. They already have. The question is, will America fight back before the cold war that Communist China is waging against America and its allies goes hot?

The flash point will be Taiwan, but the war will extend throughout the the Pacific and beyond, and the results could be devastating. America risks a humiliating retreat, with almost unimaginable costs to the country’s economy and security.

The conflict is coming. We’re not ready. Is American defeat inevitable? No, but we must change course immediately. And to do that, we must wake up and heed the sobering message of When China Attacks.