Submarine Cables Turn Battlefield for Russia, China and Tech Giants, New Book Shows

In "La Guerre silencieuse," author Marie Baléo documents the transformation of submarine cables from a facilitator of early globalization to a contested asset in modern geopolitics. The narrative begins with one outlet-century telegraph boom, highlighting England’s discovery of gutta-percha as a key insulating material and the logistical hurdles of laying thousands of kilometres of cable across oceans. The book then details how Russia and China have incorporated cable sabotage into their hybrid warfare playbooks, seeking to weaken adversaries.

Simultaneously, the analysis shows that state actors and digital conglomerates depend on these undersea pathways to maintain global reach and market dominance. By linking technical history with current security concerns, the work underscores the cables’ dual role as both infrastructure and strategic weapon.