The Writing on the Wall

Name: The Writing on the Wall
Brand: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Price: 117.75 AUD
Availability: PreOrder

The British Commonwealth and Aggression in the East 1931-1935

By: E. M. Andrews

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Paperback | 19 January 2026 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback
248 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.4 x 15.6 x 1.32

Paperback

$117.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $29.44 with

Available: 19th January 2026

Preorder. Will ship when available.

First published in 1987, The Writing on the Wall tells the story of the muddle, shortsightedness and duplicity which characterised Britainâs dealings with her Pacific Dominions. It describes the reactions of each Dominion and chronicles the desultory responses of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to the developing crises in the North Pacific. The result is an important contribution to the history of all four continents.

As the 1930s opened, the British Empire was everywhere recognised as a Great Power. Its rule extended over one-fifth of the earthâs land surface; it encompassed the largest population of any âStateâ in the world; it controlled one-sixth of the worldâs trade. In truth, the Empire was tragically fragile. Both Britain and the Dominions had disarmed to the point of impotence, so that when Japan occupied Manchuria in 1931 and attacked Shanghai, the centre of British trade in China, in the following year, they were unable to respond. British defence chiefs declared Japanâs success to be âthe writing on the wallâ. Despite these warnings, British politicians chose to appease the Japanese at the cost of seriously damaging the League of Nations, and to avoid spending money on defence in the Far East. Despite the concerns of the Dominionsâ"Australia, New Zealand, and Canadaâ"the scene was set for the total collapse of Britainâs Empire in the East within a decade. This book will be of interest to students and researchers of history.

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