The Impact of Coincidence in Modern American, British, and Asian History

“Bruce Elleman’s new book is a concise and useful addition to the otherwise larger studies on twentieth-century world history. His book presents twenty-one coincidental episodes that the author suggests may have changed the course of history. He lets the reader decide. This short book revisits many familiar topics that are presented in new ways, challenging readers to ask new questions. The importance of this book lies in the author’s posing alternative possibilities for historical causation.” — Robert Antony, Professor, Shandong University, China “This engaging collection of historical vignettes offers thought-provoking insights and unique perspectives on some of the major historical events of the twentieth century while also showing how some truly obscure and seemingly minor incidents may be more significant than one might imagine.” — Harold Tanner, Professor, College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences “Professor Bruce Elleman is a global historian with a formidable knowledge, especially of East Asia (including the territory of the former Soviet Union) and of naval affairs. His books explore history from perspectives that have escaped the attention of the most attentive historians. This book will be an ‘easy read for students and anyone curious about World history. It could serve a large range of needs, from specialist to casual.’” — Hiroaki Kuromiya, Professor of History Emeritus, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA