e majority of the populations of the West have lived with the assumption that World War III (WWIII) would and could never take place. However, what if an aggressive and expansive hegemonic challenger believed that the combination of the West's collapse in collective moral fiber and resolve, coupled with the use of powerful and decisive new weapons deployed en masse, could make WWIII winnable? This is the story of how the past ten years and next five years comprise the road to war in 2025 and the moment that China mounts surprise attacks on the free world. Red Lightning then precisely details how the PLAN wins WWIII in only a few days and ends the rule of democracy globally.