Arc of Empire

Although conventionally treated as separate, Americas 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 Americas political will were crucial. Devoting equal attention to Asian and American perspectives, the authors follow the long arc of conflict across seventy-five years from the Philippines through Japan and Korea to Vietnam, tracing along the way American ambition, ascendance, and ultimate defeat. They show how these wars are etched deeply in eastern Asias politics and culture.The authors encourage readers to confront the imperial pattern in U.S. history with implications for todays Middle Eastern conflicts. They also offer a deeper understanding of Chinas rise and Asias place in todays world.For instructors: An Online Instructors Manual is available, with teaching tips for using Arc of Empire in graduate and undergraduate courses on Americas wars in Asia. It includes lecture topics, chronologies, and sample discussion questions.