Japan Prepares for Total War: The Search for Economic Security, 1919-1941 (Cornell Studies in Security Affairs)
Though the subject has been much studied, this book belongs to a small corpus of works based upon both English- and Japanese-language sources. In emphasizing that Japan's drive for empire was rooted in its economic insecurity, the book is in the tradition of James Crowley's Japan's Quest for Autonomy, 1930-38 (1966). Barnhart's work, however, covers a broader time span, is based upon a wealth of documentation that has become available in the past two decades, and also covers U.S.-Japanese diplomatic relations more thoroughly than Crowley's did. Barnhart's book is even-handed and scholarly in tone. Though its appeal will be limited mainly to specialists, general readers who have some knowledge of the topic will find it rewarding. John H. Boyle, History Dept., California State Univ., ChicoCopyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.