The China Mission: George Marshall's Unfinished War, 1945-1947

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Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN 13 : 0393243087
Total Pages : 496 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (932 download)

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Book Synopsis The China Mission: George Marshall's Unfinished War, 1945-1947 by : Daniel Kurtz-Phelan

Download or read book The China Mission: George Marshall's Unfinished War, 1945-1947 written by Daniel Kurtz-Phelan and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2018-04-10 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Economist Best Book of 2018 A spellbinding narrative of the high-stakes mission that changed the course of America, China, and global politics—and a rich portrait of the towering, complex figure who carried it out. As World War II came to an end, General George Marshall was renowned as the architect of Allied victory. Set to retire, he instead accepted what he thought was a final mission—this time not to win a war, but to stop one. Across the Pacific, conflict between Chinese Nationalists and Communists threatened to suck in the United States and escalate into revolution. His assignment was to broker a peace, build a Chinese democracy, and prevent a Communist takeover, all while staving off World War III. In his thirteen months in China, Marshall journeyed across battle-scarred landscapes, grappled with Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, and plotted and argued with Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and his brilliant wife, often over card games or cocktails. The results at first seemed miraculous. But as they started to come apart, Marshall was faced with a wrenching choice. Its consequences would define the rest of his career, as the secretary of state who launched the Marshall Plan and set the standard for American leadership, and the shape of the Cold War and the US-China relationship for decades to come. It would also help spark one of the darkest turns in American civic life, as Marshall and the mission became a first prominent target of McCarthyism, and the question of “who lost China” roiled American politics. The China Mission traces this neglected turning point and forgotten interlude in a heroic career—a story of not just diplomatic wrangling and guerrilla warfare, but also intricate spycraft and charismatic personalities. Drawing on eyewitness accounts both personal and official, it offers a richly detailed, gripping, close-up, and often surprising view of the central figures of the time—from Marshall, Mao, and Chiang to Eisenhower, Truman, and MacArthur—as they stood face-to-face and struggled to make history, with consequences and lessons that echo today.

The China Mission

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Publisher : National Geographic Books
ISBN 13 : 0393356868
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (933 download)

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Book Synopsis The China Mission by : Daniel Kurtz-Phelan

Download or read book The China Mission written by Daniel Kurtz-Phelan and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2019-04-16 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Economist Best Book of 2018 New York Times Book Review Editor’s Pick “Gripping [and] splendid.… An enormous contribution to our understanding of Marshall.”—Washington Post At the end of World War II, General George Marshall took on what he thought was a final mission—this time not to win a war, but to stop one. In China, conflict between Communists and Nationalists threatened to suck in the United States and escalate into revolution. Marshall’s charge was to cross the Pacific, broker a peace, and prevent a Communist takeover, all while staving off World War III. At first, the results seemed miraculous. But as they started to come apart, Marshall was faced with a wrenching choice—one that would alter the course of the Cold War, define the US-China relationship, and spark one of the darkest-ever turns in American political life. The China Mission offers a gripping, close-up view of the central figures of the time—from Marshall, Mao, and Chiang Kai-shek to Eisenhower, Truman, and MacArthur—as they stood face-to-face and struggled to make history, with consequences and lessons that echo today.

Mission to Yenan

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Publisher : University Press of Kentucky
ISBN 13 : 0813156548
Total Pages : 296 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (131 download)

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Book Synopsis Mission to Yenan by : Carolle J. Carter

Download or read book Mission to Yenan written by Carolle J. Carter and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2014-10-17 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conventional wisdom informs us that "only Nixon could go to China." In fact, in 1944, nearly thirty years before his historic trip, the American military established the first liaison and intelligence-gathering mission with the Chinese Communists in Yenan. Commonly referred to as the Dixie Mission, the detached military unit sent to Yenan was responsible for transmitting weather information, assisting the Communists in their rescue of downed American flyers, and laying the groundwork for an eventual rapprochement between the Communists and Nationalists, the two sides struggling in the ongoing Chinese Civil War. Following extensive use of archival sources and numerous interviews with the men who traveled and served in Yenan, Carolle Carter argues that while Dixie fulfilled its assignment, the members steered the mission in different directions from its original, albeit loosely described, intent. As the months and years passed, the Dixie Mission increasingly emphasized intelligence gathering over evaluating their Communist hosts' contribution to the war effort against Japan. Some American politicians in the 1950s portrayed the participants in the Dixie Mission as too sympathetic to the Chinese Communists. But during the 1970s many looked back at these individuals as wise but ignored oracles who could have prevented the "loss of China." Carter strips away these simplistic portrayals to reveal a diverse and dedicated collection of soldiers, diplomats, and technicians who had ongoing contact with the Chinese Communists longer than any other group during World War II, but who were destined to be a largely unused resource during the Cold War.

Opening China

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Publisher : Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN 13 : 080283180X
Total Pages : 385 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (28 download)

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Book Synopsis Opening China by : Jessie Gregory Lutz

Download or read book Opening China written by Jessie Gregory Lutz and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2008-04 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Western evangelists have long been fascinated by China, a vast mission field with a unique language and culture. One of the most intrigued was also one of the most intriguing: Karl F. A. Gützlaff (1803-1851). In this erudite study Jessie Gregory Lutz chronicles Gützlaff's life from his youth in Germany to his conversion and subsequent turn to missions to his turbulent time in Asia. Lutz also includes a substantial bibliography consisting of (1) archival sources, (2) selected books, pamphlets, tracts, and translations by Gützlaff, and (3) books, periodicals, and articles. This is truly an important reference for any student of the history of China or missions.

Cold War and Decolonization in Guinea, 1946-1958

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Publisher : Ohio University Press
ISBN 13 : 0821417630
Total Pages : 327 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (214 download)

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Book Synopsis Cold War and Decolonization in Guinea, 1946-1958 by : Elizabeth Schmidt

Download or read book Cold War and Decolonization in Guinea, 1946-1958 written by Elizabeth Schmidt and published by Ohio University Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 327 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of the African Politics Conference Group’s Best Book Award In September 1958, Guinea claimed its independence, rejecting a constitution that would have relegated it to junior partnership in the French Community. In all the French empire, Guinea was the only territory to vote “No.” Orchestrating the “No” vote was the Guinean branch of the Rassemblement Démocratique Africain (RDA), an alliance of political parties with affiliates in French West and Equatorial Africa and the United Nations trusts of Togo and Cameroon. Although Guinea’s stance vis-à-vis the 1958 constitution has been recognized as unique, until now the historical roots of this phenomenon have not been adequately explained. Clearly written and free of jargon, Cold War and Decolonization in Guinea argues that Guinea’s vote for independence was the culmination of a decade-long struggle between local militants and political leaders for control of the political agenda. Since 1950, when RDA representatives in the French parliament severed their ties to the French Communist Party, conservative elements had dominated the RDA. In Guinea, local cadres had opposed the break. Victimized by the administration and sidelined by their own leaders, they quietly rebuilt the party from the base. Leftist militants, their voices muted throughout most of the decade, gained preeminence in 1958, when trade unionists, students, the party’s women’s and youth wings, and other grassroots actors pushed the Guinean RDA to endorse a “No” vote. Thus, Guinea’s rejection of the proposed constitution in favor of immediate independence was not an isolated aberration. Rather, it was the outcome of years of political mobilization by activists who, despite Cold War repression, ultimately pushed the Guinean RDA to the left. The significance of this highly original book, based on previously unexamined archival records and oral interviews with grassroots activists, extends far beyond its primary subject. In illuminating the Guinean case, Elizabeth Schmidt helps us understand the dynamics of decolonization and its legacy for postindependence nation-building in many parts of the developing world. Examining Guinean history from the bottom up, Schmidt considers local politics within the larger context of the Cold War, making her book suitable for courses in African history and politics, diplomatic history, and Cold War history.

Goodbye Shanghai - a Memoir

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Publisher : eBookIt.com
ISBN 13 : 1456621556
Total Pages : 219 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (566 download)

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Book Synopsis Goodbye Shanghai - a Memoir by : Sam Moshinsky

Download or read book Goodbye Shanghai - a Memoir written by Sam Moshinsky and published by eBookIt.com. This book was released on 2014-01-16 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During his seventeen years in Shanghai, Sam experienced wars, changing regimes, different currencies and a variety of schools that reflected the evolving political landscape. In a world obsessed with conflicting nationalism, his family survived as stateless residents, neither beholden to, nor the responsibility of, any country. They were instead, sustained by their Russian Jewish culture and community.Through Sam's memories of early life and his love of history, we learn of Shanghai's uniqueness as a home and haven to thousands of Jews over many centuries.

Thunder out of China by T.H.White and A.Jacoby

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Publisher : Franklin Classics
ISBN 13 : 9780343296513
Total Pages : 308 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (965 download)

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Book Synopsis Thunder out of China by T.H.White and A.Jacoby by : Theodore Harold White

Download or read book Thunder out of China by T.H.White and A.Jacoby written by Theodore Harold White and published by Franklin Classics. This book was released on 2018-10-15 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

History for the IB Diploma Paper 3 The People’s Republic of China (1949–2005)

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Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1316503771
Total Pages : 401 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (165 download)

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Book Synopsis History for the IB Diploma Paper 3 The People’s Republic of China (1949–2005) by : Allan Todd

Download or read book History for the IB Diploma Paper 3 The People’s Republic of China (1949–2005) written by Allan Todd and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2016-10-13 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Comprehensive books to support study of History for the IB Diploma Paper 3, revised for first assessment in 2017.

Japanese War Criminals

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Publisher : Columbia University Press
ISBN 13 : 0231542682
Total Pages : 436 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (315 download)

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Book Synopsis Japanese War Criminals by : Sandra Wilson

Download or read book Japanese War Criminals written by Sandra Wilson and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2017-02-14 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beginning in late 1945, the United States, Britain, China, Australia, France, the Netherlands, and later the Philippines, the Soviet Union, and the People's Republic of China convened national courts to prosecute Japanese military personnel for war crimes. The defendants included ethnic Koreans and Taiwanese who had served with the armed forces as Japanese subjects. In Tokyo, the International Military Tribunal for the Far East tried Japanese leaders. While the fairness of these trials has been a focus for decades, Japanese War Criminals instead argues that the most important issues arose outside the courtroom. What was the legal basis for identifying and detaining subjects, determining who should be prosecuted, collecting evidence, and granting clemency after conviction? The answers to these questions helped set the norms for transitional justice in the postwar era and today contribute to strategies for addressing problematic areas of international law. Examining the complex moral, ethical, legal, and political issues surrounding the Allied prosecution project, from the first investigations during the war to the final release of prisoners in 1958, Japanese War Criminals shows how a simple effort to punish the guilty evolved into a multidimensional struggle that muddied the assignment of criminal responsibility for war crimes. Over time, indignation in Japan over Allied military actions, particularly the deployment of the atomic bombs, eclipsed anger over Japanese atrocities, and, among the Western powers, new Cold War imperatives took hold. This book makes a unique contribution to our understanding of the construction of the postwar international order in Asia and to our comprehension of the difficulties of implementing transitional justice.

China 1945

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Publisher : Vintage
ISBN 13 : 0307743217
Total Pages : 466 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (77 download)

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Book Synopsis China 1945 by : Richard Bernstein

Download or read book China 1945 written by Richard Bernstein and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2015-10-27 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the beginning of 1945, relations between America and the Chinese Communists couldn’t have been closer. Chinese leaders talked of America helping to lift China out of poverty; Mao Zedong himself held friendly meetings with U.S. emissaries. By year’s end, Chinese Communist soldiers were setting ambushes for American marines; official cordiality had been replaced by chilly hostility and distrust, a pattern which would continue for a quarter century, with the devastating wars in Korea and Vietnam among the consequences. In China 1945, Richard Bernstein tells the incredible story of the sea change that took place during that year—brilliantly analyzing its far-reaching components and colorful characters, from diplomats John Paton Davies and John Stewart Service to Time journalist, Henry Luce; in addition to Mao and his intractable counterpart, Chiang Kai-shek, and the indispensable Zhou Enlai. A tour de force of narrative history, China 1945 examines American power coming face-to-face with a formidable Asian revolutionary movement, and challenges familiar assumptions about the origins of modern Sino-American relations.

Chiang Kai-Shek¿s Politics of Shame

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Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780674260139
Total Pages : 442 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (61 download)

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Book Synopsis Chiang Kai-Shek¿s Politics of Shame by : Grace C. Huang

Download or read book Chiang Kai-Shek¿s Politics of Shame written by Grace C. Huang and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2021 with total page 442 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Grace C. Huang reconsiders Chiang Kai-shek's leadership and legacy in an intriguing new portrait of this twentieth-century leader. Comparing his response to imperialism to those of Mao, Yuan Shikai, and Mahatma Gandhi, Huang widens the implications of her findings to explore alternatives to Western expressions of nationalism and modernity.

The Marshall Plan

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Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1501102397
Total Pages : 624 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (11 download)

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Book Synopsis The Marshall Plan by : Benn Steil

Download or read book The Marshall Plan written by Benn Steil and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-02-13 with total page 624 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of the 2018 American Academy of Diplomacy Douglas Dillon Award Shortlisted for the 2018 Duff Cooper Prize in Literary Nonfiction “[A] brilliant book…by far the best study yet” (Paul Kennedy, The Wall Street Journal) of the gripping history behind the Marshall Plan and its long-lasting influence on our world. In the wake of World War II, with Britain’s empire collapsing and Stalin’s on the rise, US officials under new Secretary of State George C. Marshall set out to reconstruct western Europe as a bulwark against communist authoritarianism. Their massive, costly, and ambitious undertaking would confront Europeans and Americans alike with a vision at odds with their history and self-conceptions. In the process, they would drive the creation of NATO, the European Union, and a Western identity that continue to shape world events. Benn Steil’s “thoroughly researched and well-written account” (USA TODAY) tells the story behind the birth of the Cold War, told with verve, insight, and resonance for today. Focusing on the critical years 1947 to 1949, Benn Steil’s gripping narrative takes us through the seminal episodes marking the collapse of postwar US-Soviet relations—the Prague coup, the Berlin blockade, and the division of Germany. In each case, Stalin’s determination to crush the Marshall Plan and undermine American power in Europe is vividly portrayed. Bringing to bear fascinating new material from American, Russian, German, and other European archives, Steil’s account will forever change how we see the Marshall Plan. “Trenchant and timely…an ambitious, deeply researched narrative that…provides a fresh perspective on the coming Cold War” (The New York Times Book Review), The Marshall Plan is a polished and masterly work of historical narrative. An instant classic of Cold War literature, it “is a gripping, complex, and critically important story that is told with clarity and precision” (The Christian Science Monitor).

Roosevelt and Churchill, 1939-1941: The Partnership That Saved the West

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Author :
Publisher : Plunkett Lake Press
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 582 pages
Book Rating : 4./5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Roosevelt and Churchill, 1939-1941: The Partnership That Saved the West by : Joseph P. Lash

Download or read book Roosevelt and Churchill, 1939-1941: The Partnership That Saved the West written by Joseph P. Lash and published by Plunkett Lake Press. This book was released on 2021-12-06 with total page 582 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using the Roosevelt-Churchill correspondence, British War Cabinet and Foreign Office files and Roosevelt Map Room papers, Joseph P. Lash takes a fresh look at men and events in the critical months between the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 and Pearl Harbor. He brings out the similarities and contrasts between Roosevelt and Churchill, where they were great or flawed, how each sought to manipulate the other but always in the framework of common purposes, most importantly their understanding of the importance of sea power and of the necessity of Anglo-American naval supremacy. “[Joseph Lash] has written an excellent account, full of shrewd personal and political insights and based on a real command of the sources and an ability to organize his material into a continuously interesting narrative. Much of the story is familiar, but Mr. Lash has added some telling new details from the archives at Hyde Park and in the British Public Record Office...” — The New York Times “[A] rich account of a remarkable collaboration during the pre-Pearl Harbor years of WW II... Throughout Lash examines with candor and admiration how FDR manipulated Congress, the bureaucracy, and public opinion, working with Churchill on the phrasing and timing of steps toward American entry into the war.” — Kirkus “Joseph Lash has once again demonstrated his gift for blending diligent historical research with the human drama of an extraordinary relationship. His chronicle of Roosevelt and Churchill is absorbing and exciting; it will also be an invaluable document for any future exploration of the struggle for democratic survival in this century.” — James A. Wechsler, Editorial Page Editor, New York Post “A splendid work — incisive in its analysis, compelling in its narrative, sensitive in its judgments. It is quite worthy of its protagonists — and what more can one possibly say?” — Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. “[A] perceptive, well organized and well-written exploration both of his two main characters and of a large supporting cast... The book is... a pleasure [...] to read.” — History “The publication of Lash’s book is an important event in the historiography of World War II... Lash has accomplished an impressive historical synthesis.” — Reviews in American History “There is much to praise in this volume, a book which undoubtedly will be widely read... Lash is a first-rate writer and researcher.” — Political Science Quarterly “[A] fascinating book.” — The Virginia Quarterly Review “The major strands of this story have long been familiar, but the author adds many revealing and colorful details... he writes superbly.” — Foreign Affairs “This is a beautifully written book which captures the spirit of the two leaders and is well worth the time spent reading it. Lash offers some thoughtful insights into the personalities of both Churchill and Roosevelt as well as some perceptive comments on their relationship. His picture is clear; Roosevelt and Churchill, for all of their faults, were the great men which the times demanded.” — The American Historical Review

George C. Marshall and the Early Cold War

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Author :
Publisher : University of Oklahoma Press
ISBN 13 : 0806167645
Total Pages : 396 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (61 download)

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Book Synopsis George C. Marshall and the Early Cold War by : William A. Taylor

Download or read book George C. Marshall and the Early Cold War written by William A. Taylor and published by University of Oklahoma Press. This book was released on 2020-07-09 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Though best known for his central part in the American war effort from 1939 to 1945, George C. Marshall’s critical role in the early Cold War was probably at least as important in shaping the policies and politics of the postwar western world—and in cementing his place as a pivotal figure in twentieth-century American history. This book places Marshall squarely at the center of the story of the American century by examining his tenure in key policymaking positions during this period, including army chief of staff, special presidential envoy to China, secretary of state, and secretary of defense, among others. George C. Marshall and the Early Cold War brings together a diverse and accomplished group of scholars—including military, diplomatic, and institutional historians—to explore how Marshall, Time magazine’s “Man of the Year” in both 1943 and 1947 and the 1953 Nobel Peace Prize winner, molded debates on all the major issues of his day, such as universal military training, China’s civil war, an independent air force, the National Security Act of 1947, nuclear weapons, European Recovery Program, North Atlantic Treaty, Korean War, and racial integration of the U.S. military. With a focus on Marshall’s public service at the intersection of American policy, politics, and society, the authors provide a comprehensive historical account of his central role in shaping America during a tumultuous yet formative period in the nation’s history. Their work fills a void in the scholarship of American military history and American history generally, providing context for the consideration of broader questions about American power and the place of the military within American society.

From Pearl Harbor to Okinawa

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Publisher : Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 218 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis From Pearl Harbor to Okinawa by : Bruce Bliven (Jr.)

Download or read book From Pearl Harbor to Okinawa written by Bruce Bliven (Jr.) and published by Random House Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 1960 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This account begins with Pearl Harbor and ends with V-J day.

The First Vietnam War

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Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1108936172
Total Pages : 567 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (89 download)

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Book Synopsis The First Vietnam War by : Shawn F. McHale

Download or read book The First Vietnam War written by Shawn F. McHale and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2021-08-26 with total page 567 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shawn McHale explores why the communist-led resistance in Vietnam won the anticolonial war against France (1945–54), except in the south. He shows how broad swaths of Vietnamese people were uneasily united in 1945 under the Viet Minh Resistance banner, all opposing the French attempt to reclaim control of the country. By 1947, resistance unity had shattered and Khmer-Vietnamese ethnic violence had divided the Mekong delta. From this point on, the war in the south turned into an overt civil war wrapped up in a war against France. Based on extensive archival research in four countries and in three languages, this is the first substantive English-language book focused on southern Vietnam's transition from colonialism to independence.

China Hand

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Publisher : University of Pennsylvania Press
ISBN 13 : 0812206312
Total Pages : 373 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (122 download)

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Book Synopsis China Hand by : John Paton Davies, Jr.

Download or read book China Hand written by John Paton Davies, Jr. and published by University of Pennsylvania Press. This book was released on 2012-01-31 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the height of the McCarthyite hysteria of the 1950s, John Paton Davies, Jr., was summoned to the State Department one morning and fired. His offense? The career diplomat had counseled the U.S. government during World War II that the Communist forces in China were poised to take over the country—which they did, in 1949. Davies joined the thousands of others who became the victims of a political maelstrom that engulfed the country and deprived the United States of the wisdom and guidance of an entire generation of East Asian diplomats and scholars. The son of American missionaries, Davies was born in China at the turn of the twentieth century. Educated in the United States, he joined the ranks of the newly formed Foreign Service in the 1930s and returned to China, where he would remain until nearly the end of World War II. During that time he became one of the first Americans to meet and talk with the young revolutionary known as Mao Zedong. He documented the personal excesses and political foibles of Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek. As a political aide to General Joseph "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell, the wartime commander of the Allied forces in East and South Asia, he traveled widely in the region, meeting with colonial India's Nehru and Gandhi to gauge whether their animosity to British rule would translate into support for Japan. Davies ended the war serving in Moscow with George F. Kennan, the architect of America's policy toward the Soviet Union. Kennan found in Davies a lifelong friend and colleague. Neither, however, was immune to the virulent anticommunism of the immediate postwar years. China Hand is the story of a man who captured with wry and judicious insight the times in which he lived, both as observer and as actor.