Dr. Christopher R. Lew, President of Water Dragons Consulting and Managing Director at State Street, has rejoined the IWP faculty to teach a course on Chinese Military Thought and History (IWPO 677), which will be offered this fall.
About the course
This course explores Chinese military history and thought to provide a greater understanding of the traditions and evolution of Chinese military decision making processes at the strategic and operational levels. The course opens with an examination of fundamental strategic issues as dictated by China’s geography and cultural differences from its neighbors before transitioning into a study of the philosophical underpinnings of Chinese military thought such as Sun Tzu and the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. After establishing this basis, the course will examine case studies and trends through China’s military history before drawing a deeper focus on events during the modern era, such as the Opium Wars, the Sino-Japanese Wars, the Chinese Civil War, and the Korean War. The last portion of the class will discuss China’s contemporary current military posture and strategic priorities in light of these historical factors and in the context of the evolving international situation.
About the professor
Christopher R. Lew specializes in Chinese politics, economics, cyber, military affairs, and history. He currently serves as a Managing Director at State Street, overseeing their Global Cybersecurity China Operations, Insider Threat and Investigations Teams. He is also the Director of International Programs Development at UMGC and President of Water Dragons Consulting.
Previously, he served as a Principal Threat Intelligence Analyst at Mandiant, during which he participated in and co-authored the APT1 Report. He has also worked as a Senior China Policy Analyst at SAIC, an Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, and a Senior Intelligence Analyst with the Department of Defense. Chris previously taught at George Mason University, George Washington University, and UMGC.
Chris is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel with over 24 combined years in the active and reserve components. As an enlisted soldier, he served in the armor and public affairs fields, and, as an officer, he worked in the military intelligence branch. In 2005-06, Chris commanded the Analysis and Control Team of the 2/28th Brigade Combat Team in Ramadi, Iraq. During that time, he helped identify and establish the conditions for the Al Anbar Awakening, which served as a turning point in the campaign for western Iraq. Chris also served with 75th Innovation Command, Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, and as an Army Attaché at various embassies in the Asia-Pacific region.
He has authored two books, The Third Chinese Revolutionary Civil War: An Analysis of Communist Strategy and Leadership (2009) and the second edition of the Historical Dictionary of the Chinese Civil War (2013). He also contributed various entries to China at War: An Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia of Chinese History.