Interest in maritime strategy poses a significant investment in time, parsing propaganda from (plausible) fact, and an understanding of the perils of disparaging the potential of foreign efforts to sway maritime control and exploitation in the South China Sea.
A recent comment kick-started interest in several of my posts here:
The man-made Islands in the South China Sea did not appear magically one day in 2021 (or whenever everyone else started paying attention).
Some were started in 2008 (from my limited research).
But few paid attention.
Now?
Pay attention.
In reviewing my stances, I know the point I was trying to make, but had gotten lost in the research, composition, and conclusions I had set out to establish.
Maritime Rant – 26Dec2023: the distances involved with any conflict taking place in the South China Sea, and the limitations/advantages either side would experience.
“Warfare IS the combination of logistics, public relations, and politics.”
Meanwhile, in the South China Sea – 7Mar2020: the creation and fortification of islands in the South China Sea – specifically, the evolution of Firey Cross reef since 25Mar2014.
“The militarization of these tiny reefs thousands of miles away poses little direct threat to my own daily life, after all… right?”
In thinking more about this topic over the last day, two more posts came to mind:
Stages of Historical Power – 26Feb2020: the First World War could be viewed as the culmination of the slow naval arms race between Britian and Germany starting as early as 1888.
“…[A]s a nation grows, so does the imperative to produce the means of protecting that growth and the supply lines inherent to the expansion from other nations who have either lost the resources and influence or are envious of the benefits which they bring.”
Thoughts on Article 5 3Nov2019: peace through alliance, while admirable, has – and will – been the cause for the First and Second World Wars, among many others.
“[I]t may be possible that, by the slow erosion of credibility, unity, and focus, we may find ourselves looking back with the infamous 20/20 hindsight with amazement that we never really saw the signs… or cared to.”
USS Bowfin – 6Oct2025. Source: author.
Western critics and observers of maritime trends, comedy of disgraceful errors policies, and potential pitfalls such as John Konrad, Sal Mercogliano, and Trent Telenko have become favored points of inspiration as well as sources of profane frustration.
Maritime efforts, unlike many other aspects of combat and logistics are SLOW. Ships move slow. Construction takes years. Policies shift every election cycle. The efforts to build, improve, and evolve anything related to ships and sea lines of communication (SLOC) are glacial in deliberation and execution…
Except for China.
Starting in 1953, the Five-Year Plans established not only a centralized planning system and guidebook for development but indicated a mandate – a national will and/or philosophy, even – for China’s growth.
Currently, the Fifteenth Plan is under development; speculation on what it contains and dictates is not for me to undertake. However, understanding what historic benchmarks have been made and whether or not they were achieved or exceeded is something that I have been mulling over for a while now.
The problem is that, to delve into more information – to compile and compare intents versus trends – would be to reduce this to yet another disregarded White Paper. More tilting at windmills that are in a decorative painting never fully gazed upon in introspection.
The information is out there… but is it important enough to consider? Have the implications for not paying attention clear enough to generate and maintain interest?
Sunk, damaged, and other actions of the USS Barb – submarines were the tool of maritime warfare. 6Oct2025. Source: author.
Why is this important?
I am a layman when it comes to all of this. Yet, I can appreciate the historic examples of when maritime issues become a catalyst for larger conflicts.
I ponder whether Konrad, Mercogliano, and Telenko are the current-day Jomnis, Mahans, and Corbetts… and whether we (the collective “we”) are ignoring the signs of a pending conflict.
I fret upon what it will mean to my son… my daughter… your kids… their kids… Chinese kids in the future… the kids of many nationalities, many years from now – much like we are still wrestling with the decisions and disparagements from over a century ago.
It is not enough to just say “pay attention” these days.
The gears have been set in motion long ago, and once they started, it is nearly impossible to stop the progress…
…Unless more start paying attention and acting – voting not because of identity politics or populism, but to start voting like the industrial, economic, and overall survival of ALL interested parties depends on it.
Because, whether you like it or not, it does.
(396,677)
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Mike –
Thanks for this. I am under the impression that your points are lost on the general population, and for those of us who understand the points you are making, it is too late. Trump’s assertion that he is not responsible or accountable to anyone tells us where the problem stands. China’s main crime was having resources and being next to Russia (whose main crime was refusing to acknowledge the United States as the ruler of the world.)
Jim
Mike –
You asked, “How does Trump factor into any of what I wrote?”
Your piece concluded:
“The gears have been set in motion long ago, and once they started, it is nearly impossible to stop the progress…
“…Unless more start paying attention and acting – voting not because of identity politics or populism, but to start voting like the industrial, economic, and overall survival of *ALL *interested parties depends on it.
“Because, whether you like it or not, it does.” ++++++++++++ A few days ago, Trump gave an interview to the New York Times, in which he said, (as reported by the Guardian):
“Donald Trump has said “I don’t need international law” and that his power is limited only by his “own morality”. In a new interview https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/us/politics/trump-interview-power-morality.html?smid=url-share with the New York Times, Trump said the only constraint to his power as president of the US is “my own morality, my own mind”.
“It’s the only thing that can stop me,” Trump said.
+++++++++++++
Trump has the United States at war in Ukraine, in Venezuela, in Greenland and – coming up quickly, a renewal of the war against Iran, to be followed by actions against Canada, Mexico, Columbia, Peru and all of those nations who oppose his global conquest.
I might be missing something, but it seems to me Trump factors very significantly into what you wrote. At the 8th Air Force Historical Society Reunion that Annie and I attended last October, a retired Air Force General commented on the threat that China posed to the United States by stating that in 2024, the United States shipbuilding industry completed 4 ships, while the Chinese shipbuilding industry completed 1,000.
Szpajcher’s Maxim comes into play at this point: “If you go looking for a fight, you can always find a fight – but the fight you get may not be the fight you want.”
Thanks for the response.
Jim
“I might be missing something, but it seems to me Trump factors very significantly into what you wrote.”
[Shrug]
Since 24Feb2016, I have written 438 posts.
396,677 words.
Of that, there are a total of 8 posts where “Trump” has been mentioned with the first being 30Jan17 – and 3 were quotes (4Feb20) and 2 were fictional references (24Aug17). Yes, I counted… I was curious.
People see what they want to see.
Have I looked at the source you provided? Yes. Is it paywalled? Sure is. Am I going to pay for it? No. Did I look up alternative sources to get more than just that quote? Sure did.
This post was about paying attention to the South China Sea. If it was written two years ago, it would have sounded the same – much like my previous posts on the topic in 2020 and 2023.
“Trump has the United States at war in Ukraine…”
When did that conflict start? How much has Canada donated for that conflict? The EU?
“…in Venezuela…”
What does Canada stand to benefit from a post-Maduro Venezuela?
“…in Greenland…”
What maritime support does Canada stand to benefit from potential US control of Greenland? (To be clear, I think Greenland should remain as a territory of Denmark and that it is foolish and a waste of effort on our part.)
“coming up quickly, a renewal of the war against Iran, to be followed by actions against Canada, Mexico, Columbia, Peru and all of those nations who oppose his global conquest.”
Military actions? Economic actions? Again, this post was about the South China Sea and the seemingly inevitable repeat of history when SLOCs are disputed… and a LOT of global trade transits through that corner of the world – not to mention resources that regional nations have been competing over for quite a while.
Do NOT misconstrue my words as support or advocacy for or against a nation or a head of state. I have maintained for years that I trust not one of them at all. This post was to consolidate different thoughts I have had on the topic for a while now; as it stands, it is still incomplete as the information is never perfect/accurate/finite.
milsurpwriter 
Mike –
Thanks for this. I am under the impression that your points are lost on the general population, and for those of us who understand the points you are making, it is too late. Trump’s assertion that he is not responsible or accountable to anyone tells us where the problem stands. China’s main crime was having resources and being next to Russia (whose main crime was refusing to acknowledge the United States as the ruler of the world.)
Jim
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How does Trump factor into any of what I wrote?
The effort in the SCS started as early as 2008, with the bulk of what I have found accelerating in 2014.
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Mike –
You asked, “How does Trump factor into any of what I wrote?”
Your piece concluded:
“The gears have been set in motion long ago, and once they started, it is nearly impossible to stop the progress…
“…Unless more start paying attention and acting – voting not because of identity politics or populism, but to start voting like the industrial, economic, and overall survival of *ALL *interested parties depends on it.
“Because, whether you like it or not, it does.” ++++++++++++ A few days ago, Trump gave an interview to the New York Times, in which he said, (as reported by the Guardian):
“Donald Trump has said “I don’t need international law” and that his power is limited only by his “own morality”. In a new interview https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/us/politics/trump-interview-power-morality.html?smid=url-share with the New York Times, Trump said the only constraint to his power as president of the US is “my own morality, my own mind”.
“It’s the only thing that can stop me,” Trump said.
+++++++++++++
Trump has the United States at war in Ukraine, in Venezuela, in Greenland and – coming up quickly, a renewal of the war against Iran, to be followed by actions against Canada, Mexico, Columbia, Peru and all of those nations who oppose his global conquest.
I might be missing something, but it seems to me Trump factors very significantly into what you wrote. At the 8th Air Force Historical Society Reunion that Annie and I attended last October, a retired Air Force General commented on the threat that China posed to the United States by stating that in 2024, the United States shipbuilding industry completed 4 ships, while the Chinese shipbuilding industry completed 1,000.
Szpajcher’s Maxim comes into play at this point: “If you go looking for a fight, you can always find a fight – but the fight you get may not be the fight you want.”
Thanks for the response.
Jim
LikeLike
“I might be missing something, but it seems to me Trump factors very significantly into what you wrote.”
[Shrug]
Since 24Feb2016, I have written 438 posts.
396,677 words.
Of that, there are a total of 8 posts where “Trump” has been mentioned with the first being 30Jan17 – and 3 were quotes (4Feb20) and 2 were fictional references (24Aug17). Yes, I counted… I was curious.
People see what they want to see.
Have I looked at the source you provided? Yes. Is it paywalled? Sure is. Am I going to pay for it? No. Did I look up alternative sources to get more than just that quote? Sure did.
This post was about paying attention to the South China Sea. If it was written two years ago, it would have sounded the same – much like my previous posts on the topic in 2020 and 2023.
“Trump has the United States at war in Ukraine…”
When did that conflict start? How much has Canada donated for that conflict? The EU?
“…in Venezuela…”
What does Canada stand to benefit from a post-Maduro Venezuela?
“…in Greenland…”
What maritime support does Canada stand to benefit from potential US control of Greenland? (To be clear, I think Greenland should remain as a territory of Denmark and that it is foolish and a waste of effort on our part.)
“coming up quickly, a renewal of the war against Iran, to be followed by actions against Canada, Mexico, Columbia, Peru and all of those nations who oppose his global conquest.”
Military actions? Economic actions? Again, this post was about the South China Sea and the seemingly inevitable repeat of history when SLOCs are disputed… and a LOT of global trade transits through that corner of the world – not to mention resources that regional nations have been competing over for quite a while.
Do NOT misconstrue my words as support or advocacy for or against a nation or a head of state. I have maintained for years that I trust not one of them at all. This post was to consolidate different thoughts I have had on the topic for a while now; as it stands, it is still incomplete as the information is never perfect/accurate/finite.
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