The Clash: A History of U.S.-Japan Relations

Rating:
Summary: A Curious Friendship
Review: Thoroughly researched and engagingly written, Prof. LaFeber offers the finest single-volume history of U.S.-Japanese relations to appear in recent years. Taking as his starting point the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry in Edo Bay in 1853, Prof. Lafeber explains the close -- and occasionally stormy -- relationship between the United States and Japan over the past 150 years. Although the interests of the two nations are often aligned, Prof. LaFeber suggests that this alignment is not inevitable. Instead, the continued friendship between the two nations relies upon an understanding of our shared history -- and an appreciation of China's place in that history. Only by studying the history of the U.S.-Japan-China triangle can U.S. foreign policymakers formulate a comprehensive strategy for the Pacific in the 21st century. "The Clash" is an absolute must-read for those who wish to participate in the debate over U.S. interests in the Pacific.