Modern and Contemporary History of East Asia - (Revised Edition)

Author: None
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: A History of Modern East Asia focuses on China, Japan, and South Korea as its subjects, based on existing research, and targets general readers in these three countries. It uses clear and fluent language to comprehensively introduce the modern journey of China, Japan, and South Korea, providing a thorough, objective, and fair account of their history, especially the history of aggression and resistance between China, South Korea, and Japan. The book has the following notable characteristics:
First, it is co-authored by scholars from China, Japan, and South Korea. The three countries are geographically adjacent and have had close historical ties. In modern times, they have faced similar pressures from Western powers. However, Japan, through the Meiji Restoration, joined the ranks of colonial powers and launched invasions against China and South Korea, plunging the three countries into a dark period in history. The joint writing of the modern history of these three nations by scholars with a sense of justice in China, Japan, and South Korea is a first in all three countries. This initiative is of great significance and positive impact in strengthening academic exchanges and connections among scholars, disseminating accurate historical knowledge across the three nations, and fostering a shared historical perspective.
Second, the book is written for general readers in the three countries. Building on previous academic research, it uses simple and fluent language to summarize the modern development of the three countries and the facts of Japan's aggression against China and South Korea, offering lessons from history to guide the future development of these nations.
Third, the book is both comprehensive and systematic without being overly burdensome, while also paying attention to appropriate detail and key points. It highlights key historical facts to expose the distortions of Japanese right-wing textbooks, which twist history and conceal the facts of Japanese militarist aggression. Using convincing evidence, the book provides a detailed account of Japan's brutal aggression against China and South Korea in modern history. At the same time, it avoids getting bogged down in certain so-called details, such as the right-wing textbooks' distortion of the July 7 Incident (Marco Polo Bridge Incident) as a pretext for Japan's full-scale invasion of China, emphasizing the so-called "gun" issue. After introducing Japan's various acts of aggression before and after the July 7 Incident, the book firmly states that the incident was entirely a planned provocation by Japanese militarism. Whether the gun existed or not, it could not change the fact that Japanese militarism deliberately provoked the July 7 Incident and launched a full-scale invasion of China. Furthermore, the Japanese army's presence at the Marco Polo Bridge in China itself constituted an act of aggression against China.
Fourth, the book aims to improve upon the shortcomings of traditional historical readers, which often rely on dogmatic preaching, have rigid formats, lack liveliness, and fail to engage readers. In terms of writing style and content arrangement, the book seeks to avoid the shortcomings of previous historical texts, which are overly serious and lack dynamism. It combines academic rigor, based on existing research, with clear and accessible language to ensure readability. Accompanying the text are relevant images, which enhance visual materials and further engage readers.
In summary, the book strives to disseminate accurate historical knowledge to readers in an innovative, lively, and vivid form. A History of Modern East Asia focuses on China, Japan, and South Korea as its subjects, based on existing research, and targets general readers in these three countries. It uses clear and fluent language to comprehensively introduce the modern journey of China, Japan, and South Korea, providing a thorough, objective, and fair account of their history, especially the history of aggression and resistance between China, South Korea, and Japan. The book has the following notable characteristics: First, it is co-authored by scholars from China, Japan, and South Korea. The three countries are geographically adjacent and have had close historical ties. In modern times, they have faced similar pressures from Western powers. However, Japan, through the Meiji Restoration, joined the ranks of colonial powers and launched invasions against China and South Korea, plunging the three countries into a dark period in history. The joint writing of the modern history of these three nations by scholars with a sense of justice in China, Japan, and South Korea is a first in all three countries. This initiative is of great significance and positive impact in strengthening academic exchanges and connections among scholars, disseminating accurate historical knowledge across the three nations, and fostering a shared historical perspective.
Second, the book is written for general readers in the three countries. Building on previous academic research, it uses simple and fluent language to summarize the modern development of the three countries and the facts of Japan's aggression against China and South Korea, offering lessons from history to guide the future development of these nations.
Third, the book is both comprehensive and systematic without being overly burdensome, while also paying attention to appropriate detail and key points. It highlights key historical facts to expose the distortions of Japanese right-wing textbooks, which twist history and conceal the facts of Japanese militarist aggression. Using convincing evidence, the book provides a detailed account of Japan's brutal aggression against China and South Korea in modern history. At the same time, it avoids getting bogged down in certain so-called details, such as the right-wing textbooks' distortion of the July 7 Incident (Marco Polo Bridge Incident) as a pretext for Japan's full-scale invasion of China, emphasizing the so-called "gun" issue. After introducing Japan's various acts of aggression before and after the July 7 Incident, the book firmly states that the incident was entirely a planned provocation by Japanese militarism. Whether the gun existed or not, it could not change the fact that Japanese militarism deliberately provoked the July 7 Incident and launched a full-scale invasion of China. Furthermore, the Japanese army's presence at the Marco Polo Bridge in China itself constituted an act of aggression against China.
Fourth, the book aims to improve upon the shortcomings of traditional historical readers, which often rely on dogmatic preaching, have rigid formats, lack liveliness, and fail to engage readers. In terms of writing style and content arrangement, the book seeks to avoid the shortcomings of previous historical texts, which are overly serious and lack dynamism. It combines academic rigor, based on existing research, with clear and accessible language to ensure readability. Accompanying the text are relevant images, which enhance visual materials and further engage readers.
In summary, the book strives to disseminate accurate historical knowledge to readers in an innovative, lively, and vivid form.