Think of the USA as Britain circa 1914, and China as Imperial Germany.
I've always thought this was a revelatory accurate comparison. The USA is the global naval power that is also the "status quo" power and China is like Imperial Germany, a rising newcomer power who wants a global sphere for itself.
Except now, we have WWI and WWII as lessons in the cost of modern war (and those without nuclear weapons). Even though the British "defeated" Germany, strategically it itself was defeated as the war exhausted the economy of the empire permanently. Britain was ironically replaced by the United States and failed to defend its status as the status quo power. At the time, many people were looking to a short, sharp war similar to the Franco-Prussian war which accounted for a great deal of the enthusiasm. No one was expecting 80+ million deaths, 100+ million if the "Spanish flu" is counted, going over 150+ million if the other secondary effects, such as the rise of communism in war-torn countries, is counted. Today the stakes are higher so the reasons for avoiding war much greater.
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