The United States, facing a potential war with China , must do more to prepare for attacks on its territory. Americans need to get better at emergency preparedness, and policymakers in Washington should be encouraging a greater degree of self-reliance.

Top U.S. military officials have warned that the People’s Liberation Army might launch attacks on American soil in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan . In February 2023, U.S. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said, "If we got into a major war with China, the United States homeland would be at risk as well with both kinetic attacks and non-kinetic attacks — whether it’s cyberattacks on the power grid or on pipelines." Wormuth added : "They are going to go after the will of the United States public. They’re going to try to erode support for a conflict."

Ross Babbage, an Australian defense analyst and senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, has noted that "a war with China would be unlike anything [that] Americans have faced before." Beijing would "make a war felt in the American homeland," with the PLA employing a doctrine that they call "enemy disintegration," in which China would disrupt communications, spreading disinformation to sow division and distrust.

China is likely to attack satellites and use its highly developed cyberwarfare capabilities to go after everything from power grids, hospitals, and water plants, to food sources, along with other key infrastructure . Beijing will hope for rioting, looting, and a fractured society, in which Americans are more focused on attacking each other than dealing with the threat at hand. It is also possible that the PLA would launch such an attack prior to its invasion of Taiwan. A preemptive assault on the homeland would catch Americans flat-footed and increase the likelihood of Chinese success. To both forestall and prepare for this possibility, Americans must look to themselves and their communities.

Preparedness will help prevent panic. And it will allow Americans to be more united and ready to focus on countering China’s expansionist aims in the Indo-Pacific. But it must begin literally at home, in every household. Americans must plan ahead. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends having at least 3 days’ worth of food and 1 gallon of water per day for each person and pet, but this is arguably a low-ball estimate. The more food, water, and basic household supplies that Americans have on hand, the better.

The COVID-19 crisis, with its resultant supply chain issues and hoarding, highlighted how poorly prepared many in the U.S. are. Americans should learn from the pandemic, using it as a dry run.

Importantly, this will require Americans to be more involved in their communities. According to a Pew Research Center survey , the majority say that they only know some or none of their neighbors. The rise of technology has widened this gulf. By being more active in community affairs, Americans can be better prepared to face future emergencies together. Policymakers, both in D.C. and locally, should think creatively about how they can best incentivize Americans to be more self-reliant. And they must speak honestly and openly about the threat that China poses .

The U.S. has a long history of preparedness dating back to its founding when local committees were formed to guard against threats. The Preparedness Movement, led by former President Theodore Roosevelt, helped fortify the U.S. for its eventual entry into World War I. Similar foresight is needed now.

The writer is a Washington, D.C.-based foreign affairs analyst.