Britain, Southeast Asia and the onset of the Pacific War /
General Material Designation
[Book]
First Statement of Responsibility
Nicholas Tarling.
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Place of Publication, Distribution, etc.
Cambridge [England] :
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
Cambridge University Press,
Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.
1996.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item
xiii, 434 pages :
Other Physical Details
2 maps ;
Dimensions
24 cm
GENERAL NOTES
Text of Note
The author is a New Zealander.
INTERNAL BIBLIOGRAPHIES/INDEXES NOTE
Text of Note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 421-426) and index.
CONTENTS NOTE
Text of Note
1. Before September 1939. Britain and the world. The impact of World War I. Japanese expansion in the 1930s. Netherlands India. The Philippines. French Indo-China. Siam. Burma. Malaya and Borneo. Defence -- 2. September 1939-June 1940. The great powers and Southeast Asia. The phoney war. The German invasion of the Netherlands. The implications for the Philippines. Indo-China and the fall of France. Thailand's non-aggression pacts. The Burma Road. The Brookes. The question of reinforcing Malaya -- 3. July-September 1940. The US and the British Empire. The Battle of Britain. The question of assisting the Dutch in the Indies. The trade of the Philippines. The Japanese move into northern Indo-China. The Thai reaction. The reopening of the Burma Road. The protection of Borneo and Malaya -- 4. October 1940-June 1941. The prospects of American participation. The German attack on Russia. The Australian viewpoint. Economic warfare. Dutch discussions with the British and Japanese.
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SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
Nicholas Tarling's extensive analysis of British archives, together with documentary material on the foreign policies of other states, makes this an important reinterpretation of the origins of the Pacific war, which turned a European war into a world war. It is also the first time that the region as a whole has been considered in this context, and the interconnectedness of events explored. As a substantial study in diplomacy it is pertinent, invoking issues of continuing relevance to readers in international relations. Specialists in modern British history, Asian history and the history of World War II will also find the book invaluable.
Text of Note
This book describes British policy in Southeast Asia between the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939 and the opening of the Pacific war at the end of 1941. The British government sought to preserve the status quo. Yet it was difficult for Britain to retain its position as the major colonial power in Asia when it had to pursue its struggle with Germany. The book shows that, unable to maintain effective naval or air forces in the East, the British drew on diplomatic resources to achieve their aims. The British wanted to avert the military expansion of the Japanese and to limit their penetration of the area. They had increasingly to rely on the United States, but had little control over American policy. It is this context that the book focuses on Britain's relations with the Netherlands East Indies, the Philippines, French Indo-China and Thailand.