From Versailles to Pearl Harbor : The Origins of the Second World War in Europe and Asia

In 1941, the European war became a world war. This book tackles that process in its economic, political and ideological dimensions. Margaret Lamb and Nicholas Tarling explore the significance of the Asian factor and the importance of East Asia in the making of the war in Europe and the transformation of the European war of 1939 into the world war of 1941. This Asian factor has often been neglected, but the policies of all the major powers were affected by their world-wide interests. France had its possessions in North Africa and Asia; Nazi Germany chose to become involved in China and to make an agreement with Japan; Britain's action in Europe and the Mediterranean were conditioned by its commitments elsewhere in the world, and the United States and the Soviet Union were both involved in Europe and Asia. In particular the threat that Japan presented to the status quo in East Asia made it difficult for the war in Europe in turn affected the position in East Asia. The US built a two-ocean navy and encouraged the British to continue their struggle by keeping the resources of South East Asia available, and these steps led to a clash with the Japanese. Lamb and Tarling's global approach throws valuable new light on the origins of the Second World War.

This book sheds new light on the Asian factor in the making of World War II in Europe. Margaret Lamb and Nicholas Tarling examine how the threat that Japan presented to the status quo in East Asia made it difficult for Britain to face Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy.

Booknews

Specialists in the history of WWII will be interested in this new study. Lamb (formerly history, U. of Aukland) and Tarling (history, U. of Hull) describe the events of WWI, the peace treaties that followed it, and the events leading up to WWII, then proceed through the Second World War year by year. Throughout their chronology they describe the political events and personalities of Europe with a focus on their awareness of China and Japan and the role this Asian factor played in the decisions, events, and alliances of the war. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

In 1941 the European war became a world war. This book tackles that process in its economic, political and ideological dimensions. Margaret Lamb and Nicholas Tarling explore the significance of the Asian factor and the importance of East Asia in the making of the war in Europe and the transformation of the European war of 1939 into the world war of 1941. This Asian factor has often been neglected, but the policies of all the major powers were affected by their world wide interests. The global approach not only helps in explaining the causes of the war, it also helps to explain its nature and its outcome "In 1941 the European war became a world war. This book explores that process in its economic, political and ideological dimensions. Margaret Lamb and Nicholas Tarling examine the significance of the Asian factor and the importance of East Asia in the making of the war in Europe and the transformation of the European war of 1939 into the world war of 1941."--BOOK JACKET. Britain was the most successful of the nineteenth-century European powers in expanding its territory overseas, but that very success brought an increasing nervousness and sense of vulnerability as well as prestige and status as a world power.