Explore the real-world places that appear in A Dangerous World? by Christopher A. Preble. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include The Pentagon, Cato Institute, The White House, U.S. Capitol, U.S. Department of State (Harry S Truman Building) and 6 more.
Arlington, VA — Headquarters of the Department of Defense
The Pentagon is the institutional home of the threat assessment at the center of the volume. In 2013 Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declared that the world was 'more dangerous than it has ever been,' the claim the contributors test. The essays weigh such claims against data on interstate wars, civil wars, terrorism, and weapons proliferation to ask whether military planning rests on inflated perceptions of danger.
Built between 1941 and 1943 and designed by George Bergstrom, the Pentagon is one of the world's largest office buildings. It has housed the Department of Defense since the early years of the Cold War and was struck in the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The Pentagon remains the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense. The Pentagon Memorial and guided tours (by advance reservation) allow public access to parts of the site.
Visit: Pentagon Memorial (memorial)
1000 Massachusetts Ave NW — Home of editor Christopher Preble's research
The volume was edited by Christopher Preble and John Mueller, scholars associated with the Cato Institute, which published it. Contributors assess perceived threats such as rising powers, nuclear proliferation, transnational crime, and failed states, arguing that U.S. security is stronger than commonly claimed. The institute is where this restraint-oriented argument about U.S. grand strategy was framed.
The Cato Institute was founded in 1977 as a libertarian think tank and moved to its Massachusetts Avenue headquarters in the 1990s. It has become a prominent voice in debates over foreign policy restraint and defense spending.
Cato hosts public policy forums, book events, and lectures at its Massachusetts Avenue building. Many events are open to the public and streamed online.
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW — Center of presidential threat assessment
The White House is where presidents receive the threat briefings that shape national security strategy. The book's authors argue that the threats presented to policymakers, and amplified by the media, are often exaggerated. The executive branch's choices on intervention, defense budgets, and alliances are the practical target of the contributors' recommendations.
The White House was designed by James Hoban and has served as the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. It was rebuilt after being burned by British forces in 1814.
The White House is the residence and workplace of the president. The White House Visitor Center nearby offers exhibits to the public.
Visit: White House Visitor Center (museum)
First St SE — Congress and defense budget debates
Congress sets defense spending and authorizes the use of force, making the Capitol the arena where perceptions of danger become policy. The volume's contributors argue that inflated threat narratives lead lawmakers to support large military budgets and overseas commitments. Their analysis aims to give legislators a more measured picture of global risk.
Construction of the Capitol began in 1793, and the building has been expanded and rebuilt several times, including the addition of its iconic cast-iron dome in the 1860s. It has housed Congress since 1800.
The Capitol is open for public tours through the Capitol Visitor Center. Visitors can see the Rotunda, Statuary Hall, and exhibition halls.
Visit: U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (landmark)
2201 C St NW — Diplomacy and responses to rising powers
The State Department represents the diplomatic alternative to military responses to rising nations, civil wars, and state failures. Contributors discuss how engagement with rising powers and management of unrest are shaped by perceptions of danger. The department's role is considered alongside the Pentagon's in framing U.S. responses to global problems.
The Truman Building was built in the 1940s as the War Department's headquarters and later became the State Department's home. It was dedicated to Harry S Truman in 2000.
The building is the headquarters of the U.S. Department of State, and the Diplomatic Reception Rooms can be toured by advance reservation.
Visit: Diplomatic Reception Rooms, U.S. Department of State (tour)
2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW — Symbol of a nation that survived civil war
The memorial evokes the nation's own civil war, linking to the book's examination of civil wars within nations and whether they threaten American security. The contributors consider how internal conflicts abroad affect the United States, and whether intervention is warranted. The memorial stands as a reminder of the costs of war.
The Lincoln Memorial was designed by Henry Bacon and dedicated in 1922. It honors Abraham Lincoln, who led the Union through the Civil War.
The memorial is a National Park Service site open around the clock, with a visitor exhibit beneath the chamber. It is one of the most visited monuments in Washington.
Visit: Lincoln Memorial (monument)
Constitution Gardens — Reminder of the costs of intervention
The memorial stands for the human cost of wars fought over perceived threats. The book's skeptical approach to threat inflation echoes lessons often drawn from Vietnam about overestimating dangers. It frames the contributors' call for careful assessment before committing American forces.
Designed by Maya Lin and dedicated in 1982, the memorial lists the names of more than 58,000 U.S. service members killed or missing in the Vietnam War. Its design was initially controversial.
The memorial is managed by the National Park Service and is open to visitors at all hours. Visitors often make rubbings of the names on the black granite wall.
Visit: Vietnam Veterans Memorial (memorial)
Between the Capitol and Lincoln Memorial — Public arena for national debate
The Mall is the symbolic heart of American civic life, where debates about war and security play out publicly. Contributors argue that media and political rhetoric about threats shape public opinion. The setting reflects the book's concern with how popular fears influence national policy.
The National Mall was shaped by the 1791 L'Enfant plan and the 1901 McMillan Plan. It has hosted countless protests, inaugurations, and commemorations.
The Mall is a national park lined with Smithsonian museums and memorials. It is open daily to the public.
Visit: National Mall (park)
Langley, VA — Intelligence assessments of global threats
The intelligence community supplies the assessments of terrorism, weapons proliferation, and transnational crime that feed policy debate. The contributors question whether threats like terrorism are as large as often portrayed. Intelligence reporting is part of the chain through which perceived danger reaches decision makers.
The CIA was created in 1947 and moved to its Langley campus in 1961. The headquarters complex has been expanded since.
The CIA headquarters is a secure facility not open to the public. It is not a visitor destination.
Arlington, VA — Where Gen. Dempsey made his 2013 claim
As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Martin Dempsey stated in 2013 that the world was more dangerous than ever, which prompts the book's central question. The authors offer evidence that wars between nations have declined and that many feared threats are overstated. The volume uses his statement as a foil to examine global security trends.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff were formally established by the National Security Act of 1947. The chairman serves as the principal military adviser to the president.
The Joint Staff continues to operate within the Pentagon, which is not freely open to visitors. Access is limited to official business and scheduled tours.
1775 Massachusetts Ave NW — Rival policy analysis on security
Think tanks like Brookings produce competing analyses of rising powers, state failure, and proliferation. The book's contributors engage this wider policy ecosystem, challenging claims that the world is uniquely dangerous. The debate among institutions shapes which threats the media and policymakers emphasize.
Brookings was founded in 1916 as the Institute for Government Research and is among the oldest think tanks in the United States. It moved to its Massachusetts Avenue building in 1960.
Brookings holds public events and publishes research on foreign policy and economics. Its headquarters is a working office, with events open by registration.
More by Christopher A. Preble: All Christopher A. Preble books
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