Book Description

Every symposium in this series has broken new ground and accumulated new debts. The ninth symposium, however, perhaps more conspicuously than past symposia, has struck off boldly in new directions. The two men most responsible for this symposium, (then) Colonel Alfred F. Hurley and Major Harry R. Borowski, were not constrained in their planning by a narrow definition of "military" history. Their willingness to include questions of foreign policy, cross-cultural interaction, and national perceptions and misperceptions, within the context of military history, has helped us all to expand our vision and understanding. Debts of gratitude are owed to many people, but to none more than the outstanding group of scholars and military officers who delivered papers and served as moderators and commentators in the various sessions. Whatever success the symposium enjoyed, and whatever use the proceedings may have, are certainly a credit to the superb collection of experts on East Asia who gathered at the Air Force Academy last October. The Department of History is once again most thankful to the Association of Graduates of the United States Air Force Academy for generous financial assistance in support of the symposium. Support came from other quarters as well. The organizers of the symposium received constant and enthusiastic cooperation from Lieutenant General Kenneth L. Tallman, Superintendent of the Air Force Academy, and from Brigadier General William A. Orth, Dean of the Faculty. The Department of History could not successfully host the symposia series without the backing of the entire Academy. Neither could the symposia be held withoul the hard work and sacrifice offered by the individual members of the Department of History. A standing joke among members of the department is that someday there may be enough time available during a symposium to actually attend the sessions. Special thanks go to Lieutenant Colonel Carl W. Reddel, presently Head of the Department of History, for his assistance and encouragement in the editing of these proceedings. The proceedings would not have appeared, of course, without the patience and expertise of Mrs. Dode Jones and Ms. Rae Hellen, who typed the manuscript. The manuscript was deftly transformed into a printed volume under the watchful eye of Mr. Lawrence J. Paszek, Office of Air Force History.