BENJAMIN NULAND examines how Mao Zedong’s concept of “strategic stalemate” from On Protracted War has been adapted in contemporary interpretations of U.S.–China relations. It compares the historical context of Mao’s China in 1939 with present-day China, defines the meaning of strategic stalemate, and analyzes the assumptions and limitations embedded within the analogy. Ultimately, the essay warns against the risks of applying wartime analogies to contemporary geopolitical competition and explores the implications this may have for future Chinese policy toward the United States.”