Biography of Michael Pillsbury

Born in California in 1945, Pillsbury was educated at Stanford University (B.A. in History with Honors in Social Thought) and Columbia University (M.A., Ph.D.). Major academic advisers to Pillsbury at Columbia were Zbigniew Brzezinski and Michel Oksenberg, who later played key roles in the Jimmy Carter administration on policy toward both China and Afghanistan. Pillsbury studied the art and practice of bureaucratic politics with Roger Hilsman, President John Kennedy's intelligence director at the State Department and the author of Politics Of Policy Making In Defense and Foreign Affairs. At Stanford, Pillsbury's academic mentor was Mark Mancall, author of two books on the influence of ancient traditions on Chinese foreign policy.

In 1969-1970 Pillsbury was the Assistant Political Affairs Officer at the United Nations. From 1971-72, he was a doctoral dissertation Fellow for the National Science Foundation in Taiwan, and in 1973-1977, Pillsbury was an analyst at the Social Science Department at RAND. In 1978, Pillsbury was a research fellow at the Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University.

During the Reagan administration, Dr. Pillsbury was the Assistant Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Planning and responsible for implementation of the program of covert aid known as the Reagan Doctrine. In 1975-76, while an analyst at the RAND Corporation, Pillsbury published articles in Foreign Policy and International Security recommending that the United States establish intelligence and military ties with China. The proposal, publicly commended by Ronald Reagan, Henry Kissinger, and James Schlesinger, later became US policy during the Carter and Reagan administrations. [ read more ]

Michael Pillsbury is an author of two books on China
available for free download at NDU Press:

I. Pillsbury, Michael (2000). China Debates the Future Security Environment. ISBN 9781410218568.

Comments on Michael Pillsbury’s Book China Debates the Future Security Environment, 2000 that appear on the book jacket:

Brent Scowcroft, former national security adviser to the President, wrote:
“The Pentagon's Office of Net Assessment and Dr. Mike Pillsbury deserve our congratulations.  This book compiles more than 600 quotations from over 200 Chinese authors since 1994, and demonstrates the value of translating China's open sources.  It presents many of the basic premises China uses to assess the next two decades.  I strongly agree with the author that we need to strengthen our military exchange program with China and include a new focus on influential Chinese strategists.” [Read more]


II. Pillsbury, Michael, ed (1998). Chinese Views of Future Warfare. ISBN 9781579060169.

Comments on Pillsbury’s Chinese Views of Future Warfare, 1998, revised edition, NDU Press that appear on the book jacket.

Former Secretary of Defense William Perry wrote:
 “This book reflects the keen interest that its sponsor, the Director of Net Assessment Andy Marshall, has shown in Chinese views of a potential revolution in military affairs.  Translation and publication of these articles enhance our understanding of how some of China's authoritative military strategists see the revolution in military affairs in the 21st century.” [Read more]

Michael Pillsbury's U.S. China Commission Congressional Reports:

• Pillsbury, Michael (2005). China's Progress in Technological Competitiveness - The Need for a New Assessment
• Pillsbury, Michael (2004). The US Role in Taiwan's Defense Reforms
• Pillsbury, Michael (2003). China's Military Strategy Toward the U.S.: A View From Open Source
• Pillsbury, Michael (January 19, 2007). An Assessment of China's Anti-Satellite And Space Warfare Programs, Policies And Doctrine
• Pillsbury, Michael (1998). China's Assessment of the Future Security Environment. Office of Net Assessment. OCLC 43387159
• Pillsbury, Michael (1996). Dangerous Chinese Misperceptions: The Implications for the Department of Defense. Office of Net Assessment. OCLC 53477900
• Pillsbury, Michael (1980). Chinese Perceptions of the Soviet-American Military Balance. Office of Net Assessment. OCLC 6368991

Michael Pillsbury's Congressional & Senate Testimonies:

• Pillsbury, Michael (June 21, 2000). Testimony to House Armed Services Committee
• Testimony of Dr. Michael Pillsbury Before the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence - November 1997

Michael Pillsbury's Journal Articles:

• Strategic Acupuncture Foreign Policy Winter 1980
• US-China Military Ties? Foreign Policy Autumn 1975
• A Japanese Card? Foreign Policy Winter 1978
• Future Sino American Security Ties: The View from Tokyo, Moscow, and Peking. International Security Spring 1977

Michael Pillsbury's Rand Reports:

• Pillsbury, Michael (1975). Personal Ties and Factionalism in Peking. RAND Corporation. OCLC 1575577.
• Pillsbury, Michael (1975). Taiwan's fate: Two Chinas But Not Forever. RAND Corporation. OCLC 1575589.
• Pillsbury, Michael (1975). The Political Environment on Taiwan. RAND Corporation. OCLC 1462258.
• Pillsbury, Michael (1975). SALT on the Dragon: Chinese Views of the Soviet-American Strategic Balance. RAND Corporation. OCLC 2218652.
• Pillsbury, Michael (1975). Soviet Apprehensions about Sino-American Relations, 1971-74. RAND Corporation. OCLC 1549446.
• Pillsbury, Michael (1976). Statement to the Subcommittee on Future Foreign Policy Research and Development, Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives. RAND Corporation. OCLC 2731888.
• Pillsbury, Michael (1975). Chinese Foreign Policy: Three New Studies. RAND Corporation. OCLC 2379124.