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
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 Asia's politics and
culture.
The authors encourage readers to confront the imperial pattern in
U.S. history with implications for today's Middle Eastern
conflicts. They also offer a deeper understanding of China's rise
and Asia's place in today's world.
For instructors: An Online Instructor's Manual is available, with
teaching tips for using
Arc of Empire in graduate and
undergraduate courses on America's wars in Asia. It includes
lecture topics, chronologies, and sample discussion questions.