The world was watching when footage of the "tank man" -- the lone Chinese citizen blocking the passage of a column of tanks during the brutal 1989 crackdown on protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square -- first appeared in the media. The furtive video is now regarded as an iconic depiction of a government's violence against its own people. Throughout the twentieth century, states across East Asia committed many relatively undocumented atrocities, with victims numbering in the millions. The contributors to this insightful volume analyze many of the most notorious cases, including the Japanese army's Okinawan killings in 1945, Indonesia's anticommunist purge in 1965--1968, Thailand's Red Drum incinerations in 1972--1975, Cambodia's Khmer Rouge massacre in 1975--1978, Korea's Kwangju crackdown in 1980, the Philippines' Mendiola incident in 1987, Myanmar's suppression of the democratic movement in 1988, and China's Tiananmen incident. With in-depth investigation of events that have long been misunderstood or kept hidden from public scrutiny, State Violence in East Asia provides critical insights into the political and cultural dynamics of state-sanctioned violence and discusses ways to prevent it in the future.

Examining the prospects for building a regional community in Northeast Asia, this book considers the foreign policies of the individual states as well as the impact of domestic politics on the regionalist agenda. It outlines the emerging Northeast Asian community and the domestic requisites for its evolution and realization, and puts it in context by comparing the emerging community with Southeast Asia. The book investigates the attitudes of the key powers, including China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Russia and the US, towards the ideal of greater regional cooperation, with particular emphasis on the implications of domestic factors in each country for regional dynamics. It explores the North Korean nuclear crisis, the continuing tensions over the Taiwan Straits, the impact of Sino-Japanese rivalry, the shift in stance of South Korea towards North Korea since 2001 and its implications for its relationship with the US, and Putin's attempts to strengthen Russian influence in the region. It concludes by identifying the foremost dangers that risk obstructing greater regional cooperation, particularly the China-Japan rivalry, nationalist sentiments, territorial disputes and energy competition.

Examining the prospects for building a regional community in Northeast Asia, this book considers the foreign policies of the individual states as well as the impact of domestic politics on the regionalist agenda. It outlines the emerging Northeast Asian community and the domestic requisites for its evolution and realization, and puts it in context by comparing the emerging community with Southeast Asia. The book investigates the attitudes of the key powers, including China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Russia and the US, towards the ideal of greater regional cooperation, with particular emphasis on the implications of domestic factors in each country for regional dynamics. It explores the North Korean nuclear crisis, the continuing tensions over the Taiwan Straits, the impact of Sino-Japanese rivalry, the shift in stance of South Korea towards North Korea since 2001 and its implications for its relationship with the US, and Putin's attempts to strengthen Russian influence in the region. It concludes by identifying the foremost dangers that risk obstructing greater regional cooperation, particularly the China-Japan rivalry, nationalist sentiments, territorial disputes and energy competition.

North Korea is perilously close to developing strategic nuclear weapons capable of hitting the United States and its East Asian allies. Since their first nuclear test in 2006, North Korea has struggled to perfect the required delivery systems. Kim Jong-un's regime now appears to be close, however. Sung Chull Kim, Michael D. Cohen, and the volume contributors contend that the time to prevent North Korea from achieving this capability is virtually over; scholars and policymakers must turn their attention to how to deter a nuclear North Korea. The United States, South Korea, and Japan must also come to terms with the fact that North Korea will be able to deter them with its nuclear arsenal. How will the erratic Kim Jong-un behave when North Korea develops the capability to hit medium- and long-range targets with nuclear weapons? How will and should the United States, South Korea, Japan, and China respond, and what will this mean for regional stability in the short term and long term? The international group of authors in this volume address these questions and offer a timely analysis of the consequences of an operational North Korean nuclear capability for international security.

North Korea is perilously close to developing strategic nuclear weapons capable of hitting the United States and its East Asian allies. Since their first nuclear test in 2006, North Korea has struggled to perfect the required delivery systems. Kim Jong-un's regime now appears to be close, however. Sung Chull Kim, Michael D. Cohen, and the volume contributors contend that the time to prevent North Korea from achieving this capability is virtually over; scholars and policymakers must turn their attention to how to deter a nuclear North Korea. The United States, South Korea, and Japan must also come to terms with the fact that North Korea will be able to deter them with its nuclear arsenal. How will the erratic Kim Jong-un behave when North Korea develops the capability to hit medium- and long-range targets with nuclear weapons? How will and should the United States, South Korea, Japan, and China respond, and what will this mean for regional stability in the short term and long term? The international group of authors in this volume address these questions and offer a timely analysis of the consequences of an operational North Korean nuclear capability for international security.