White Sun War: The Campaign for Taiwan (Paperback or Softback)

Selection, 2025 US Marine Corps Commandant's Professional Reading

"...a thrilling novel that allows readers to easily imagine the pace, excitement, fear, and trepidations of those involved in the conflict, but also makes them realize the dire consequences of war.” - Modern War Institute

After decades of poising on the brink, the United States and China finally go to war when China invades the island of Taiwan. Deploying their most futuristic technologies in this grand strategic competition of the 21st century, the stakes could not be higher. Not only the future of the Taiwanese people but the fate of the world lies in the balance.

In an era when humans no longer just use machines, but partner with them in all aspects of military operations, this fictional account views this future war through the eyes of the American, Chinese, and Taiwanese caught up in the maelstrom, revealing the heartbreak, courage, leadership, and despair of high-tech warfare played out on land, at sea, in space, and in cyberspace.

White Sun War asks readers to ponder anew an essential question for the future of security in western Pacific and the entire Indo-Pacific region: is a war for Taiwan winnable?

Table of Contents

Author's Introduction
Preliminary Operations
The Massacre

Phase I
1 Flood and Fire
2 Knife in a Space Fight
3 The Successors Dilemma
4 Lethal in the Littoral
5 Stormfront Approaching
6 Grey Wizard
7 Overall Defense Concept
8 The Beetles
9 Tiger of the Land, Dragon of the Sea

Phase II
10 What Happens in Nevada…
11 The Butchers Bill
12 Retreat, Hell
13 Adaptation Battle
14 The High Ground
15 Break In
16 Resolve
17 Courage and Wisdom
18 Remote War

Phase III
19 Save Our Dream
20 New Strategy, Old Strategy
21 Transition
22 Monsoon
23 The City
24 The Pledge
25 Battle for Taichung
26 Battle for Taichung II
27 Mors Honesta
28 Morakot the Second
29 The Bitter Plain

Mick Ryan is a strategist and retired major general from the Australian Army. A distinguished graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, as well as the USMC Command and Staff College and USMC School of Advanced Warfare, he is a passionate advocate of professional education and lifelong learning. In a 35-year military career, he commanded at multiple levels in the Australian Army and served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and East Timor. His first book, War Transformed, was published in 2022.