Prelude to Pearl Harbor

Ideology and Culture in US-Japan Relations, 1919–1941

John Gripentrog

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN: 9781538149447
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Japanese History
• Index: History

In this absorbing account of the origins of the Asia-Pacific War, historian John Gripentrog argues that competing ideologies of world order—chiefly the rift between liberal internationalism and Pan-Asian regionalism—lay at the heart of the conflict. Drawing from a rich diversity of primary and secondary sources, the author also examines the Japanese government's vigorous cultural diplomacy in the U.S., which sought to win over American hearts and minds and soft-pedal its imperialist ambitions in Asia. The result is a book that both challenges and amplifies standard interpretations of US-Japan relations in the interwar era, while weaving diplomatic, political, intellectual, and cultural history. Moreover, the author's wide-angle lens offers readers insights into a fascinating assemblage of historical actors—from Japanese and American diplomats, politicians, and military leaders, to cosmopolitan art enthusiasts and major league baseball players.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Acknowledgments
• Notes on Usage
• Introduction
• “Too Proud to Fight”
• Toward Two Worlds
• Japan’s Charm Offensive (1933–1934)
• The High Tide of Cultural Diplomacy (1935–1936)
• A New Order in East Asia (1937–1938)
• “This Mad World of Ours” (1939–1940)
• “So Many Unexplainable Things Are Happening” (1940–1941)
• Epilogue
• Bibliography
• Index
• About the Author