Book reviews do not typically address editorial work, and even fewer start off doing so, but End of Empire begs that this be done. Rather than being limited to one or multiple authors’ perspectives, a decisive moment in Asian history is explained by means of numerous events covered in news clippings and photographs from the 100 days between August 5 and November 12 and by in-depth analyses in the form of vignettes of between two and three pages in length by some of the most recognized current scholars on Asia. Naturally, the text contains a bibliography, a brief introduction, and also covers the consequences of events that shed light on each country's colonial legacy and the withdrawal of colonial powers from the continent after the war. The publication is complemented by an excellent website (www.EndofEmpire.Asia) which, in addition to replicating texts and photos, contains a chronological timeline for each country and benefits from an ever-growing collection of content, thanks to contributions from readers and from the excellent bibliography that is linked via the website. The photography included in the book serves as an essential complement to the text and provides images of both successful and failed leaders, as well as posters and maps. Having adapted the texts to something approaching a single authorial voice, the editors point out that around one hundred individuals have contributed their “time, expertise and resources”. The book is a clear example of NIAS Press's impressive editorial work, and the collection serves more as an encyclopedia than a book, all within 346 pages. That said, it may be but a promising prelude to future additions on the countries in question.
The topic truly deserves to be addressed. The book and website offer a thought-provoking vision of a particularly decisive period in Asia that tends to be covered in order to identify and highlight the end of the Pacific War and fall of the Japanese empire, but which also started a chain reaction of events that have been fundamental to the development of modern Asia. As Harry Pooze points out in a statement which could be applied to the entire region, “After years of stagnation, the twilight of Japanese empire suddenly seemed to give long-frustrated Indonesian political leaders free rein”. Internal disputes and problems among the rural majority during the war became more acute due to declining labour productivity coupled with hyperinflation. Desires for revolutionary change were palpable throughout the region and became manifest in diverse expectations, from the more just world order envisioned by communism to the closed opposition intent on returning to mythological pasts based on religious movements. The 100 days covered in the book “foreshadowed the demise of other empires and set into motion developments that transformed the post-war world,” a process which is certainly reminiscent of events in Europe upon the fall of the Third Reich, though they are possibly even more similar to World War I, which also marked a clear before and after in European history. The end of the British, Dutch and French (but not Portuguese) empires created a new Asia, in a similar way as had previously occurred with the Austro-Hungarian, Russian, German and Ottoman empires decades in Europe.
When looking into the period, the most difficult task can be covering the numerous simultaneous events in question effectively, each of which had varying levels of implications and consequences, some the result of earlier developments and others provoking new changes. The topics dealt with include events associated with Japan's surrender, crucial moments in specific regions (such as the Great Vietnamese Famine) among specific population segments (from the “repatriates” or hikiagesha in Japan, a politicized segment, to Eurasians), to novelties which reflected surreptitious changes, such as Mongolia abandoning the Cyrillic alphabet and adopting traditional Mongolian. The roads not taken, of course, also form part of the history of the period: the non-unification of Outer and Inner Mongolia, the progressive decline of alternative parties to the communists in Vietnam and armies ready to manage Japan's surrender but not authorized by the General Order No. 1 from the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Douglas MacArthur, which established which army would be responsible for it. A mere history of the end of the colonial period and the beginning of Asian nation-states would be overly simplistic.
The book's strength lies precisely in its ability to offer a coherent narrative from diverse sources, such as news clippings, with analyses by specialists. While following a logical chronological and geographic order, the information is presented in diverse formats, such as vignettes and news samples full of insightful information. The ways in which nations broke free from the colonial powers were as numerous as the attitudes of Japanese soldiers towards the independence of occupied territories. During this brief period, many individuals and groups shed light on the changes that were taking place in the long term, each acting in line with widely varying strategies. One of the most interesting occurrences was the announcement to celebrate a non-existent referendum on Cambodia's independence, which resulted in two no-votes and 540,999 in favor. More news clippings in the book lead us to learn the fate of the prime minister at the time, Son Ngoc Thanh, and also the result of similar referendums. The book combines brief texts with news and in-depth analyses of captivating topics (from “The Place of Malays in a New World Order” to “The Japanese Deserters in Vietnam”) in the form of vignettes written by recognized, reputed academics. John Dower, Anthony Reid, David Marr, Jongsoo Lee, Andrew Barshay, François Guillemot, Bruce and David Reynolds, Shigeru Sato, and Geoffrey Gunn offer readers texts which have been discussed by other specialists before final publication. Hence, the book serves the purpose of generating interest in events at the time, as well as contextualizing and explaining them. One may ask whether the collection sets a clear precedent regarding how educational texts may be in the future, written by experts, but also capable of being consulted and read by diverse audiences and in diverse ways, from books to the internet.
End of Empire takes it upon itself to cover the diverse situations unfolding at the same time, both by means of academic analyses and the personal experiences of the protagonists and everyday citizens. The impact of the atomic bombs, Europe's lacking understanding regarding changes and the different implications of desires to become independent serve as a few examples of the multiple dimensions the book covers. Dilemmas regarding how to restore systems preceding the war and how to approach the new paradigm are covered particularly well, and not only in the case of the British or French, but, in particular, for the Americans and Soviets. The new major powers arrived in Asia with the aim of controlling key sources of power, although they were largely unsure of what they intended to do.
Only superficial critiques can be made of the collection. David Chandler, an emeritus scholar on Cambodia, needs no introduction, and Li Narangoa and Robert Cribb have offered their experience in publishing edited collections by securing contributions from a good part of the top specialists on the region who have created biographies and commented on texts. Given the collection's objective, no great discovery nor new interpretations are offered, rather it serves as a compilation of academic texts which accompany a selection of relevant news from the time. The fact that different countries are covered to the same extent undermines China and Japan's overall importance. With regards to the latter of the two countries, it is worth noting the lack of any mention of its second surrender, on August 17, to the Soviet empire, and, in general, a more updated take on events surrounding the atomic bombs. Given that India and Central Asia only played a superficial role in the conflict, the two have been excluded, in contrast to the two Mongolias, which are covered extensively. The Philippines is barely discussed and Oceania has been forgotten, and there is absolutely no mention of islands which were directly involved in the conflict. The table of contents could have been more comprehensive, and a list of vignettes with their respective authors would also have proven useful. The book targets a broad audience, but it will also find its way into the collections of specialists who will surely return for quick consultations for a long time to come.
