The Perimeter

An insider’s journey along the world’s most important geopolitical fault line, and the epicenter of America’s battle with China. The US has projected power across the Pacific for more than a century. Yet few Americans know their country has a forward defensive perimeter in Asia, where more than sixty US bases support nearly 400,000 troops patrolling a vast oceanic frontier. Combining riveting storytelling with unprecedented access and cutting-edge analysis, The Perimeter explores the vital importance of the “first island chain,” the fate of Taiwan, and the future of America’s contest with China. Award-winning author and geopolitical strategist James Crabtree argues that the US must urgently reinforce the perimeter or lose its supremacy in the Pacific, and therefore the world. He travels along America's least-famous border—from Hawaii and Guam to Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan—meeting marines preparing to fight island-to-island, diplomat-warriors scrambling to reinforce America’s defenses, and Asian leaders navigating between clashing superpowers. The Perimeter addresses one of the biggest questions of the Trump era: How will America hold the line against China—and what happens if it can’t?