Arc of Empire: America's Wars in Asia from the Philippines to Vietnam (H. Eugene and Lillian Youngs Lehman Series) - Hardcover

Hunt, Michael H.; Levine, Steven I.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0807835285 ISBN 13: 9780807835289

Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press, 2012

Synopsis

Arc of Empire Although conventionally treated as separate, America's four wars in Asia were actually phases in a sustained U.S. bid for regional dominance, according to Michael H. Hunt and Steven I. Levine. This effort unfolded as an imperial project in which military power and the imposition of America's political will were crucial. Devoting equal attention to Asian and American perspectives, the authors follo... Full description

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Review

A highly original and enlightening perspective that integrates a century of U.S. engagement with Japan, China, Korea, and Vietnam.--Diplomatic History Hunt and Levine's book is important . . . to anyone who deals with the history of American foreign policy.--H-War Recommended for readers interested in current events and 20th-century history, especially military history and U.S.-Asia relations.--Library Journal Whether you are prone to agree or take issue with this book's controversial premise and conclusions, it is well worth reading.--Missoulian Required reading for advanced students of modern US history, and therefore a necessary purchase for all academic libraries. Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and above.--Choice Goes beyond a recounting of the historical events of these conflicts to tie them together in one long historical arc.--On Point A powerful analysis of the American wars in eastern Asia that span the twentieth century.--International Affairs Expertly delve[s] into sensitive topics such as imperialism and the atrocities during war. . . . Successfully aligns the four wars in Asia and American history, showing how these actions served as a continuation of empire building.--Journal of the North Carolina Association of Historians Hunt and Levine never forget to detail the devastating human cost of war, and they do so not just through statistics, but also through references to the lives of ordinary people.--History: Reviews of New Books [Hunt and Levine] incorporate important information about "the other side," discuss the devastating impact military actions had on civilians, are not hesitant to reveal atrocious behavior, and examine how imperial rule worked out in practice. Popular culture references enliven the account.--American Historical Review A tremendously important book . . . . It is imperative for all scholars of foreign relations, especially of U.S. foreign relations, to read Arc of Empire--Reviews in American History A valuable book that merits careful reading. . . . Will encourage readers to take a fresh look at wars usually treated in isolation.--Army History A crisp, lively narrative sure to interest scholars in the field, their students, and the general public.--Journal of American History A work of synthesis on a scale seldom attempted before. . . . A bold step away from the prevailing trend toward highly specialized narrow monographs toward a debate on the larger significance of the eight decades of conflict which characterized U.S. relations with Asia in the twentieth century.--Journal of Military History Arc of Empire's propositions and conclusions are eloquently stated and for the most part, it seems to me, true. . . . [It] will add to the knowledge of older readers and enlighten younger ones.--The New York Review of Books A book every historian of American foreign policy will want to read, recommend, and use.--Pacific Historical Review [This] book should be illuminating and instructive to all who are concerned about U.S. overseas military involvement and its domestic and international ramifications.--H-Empire Reviews

About the Author

Michael H. Hunt is Emerson Professor of History Emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and author or editor of eleven books, including <i>The American Ascendancy: How the United States Gained and Wielded Global Dominance</i> and <i>A Vietnam War Reader: A Documentary History from American and Vietnamese Perspectives</i>.

About this edition

• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0807835285
• ISBN 13: 9780807835289
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 352