Our history grew out of Europe. And so it is only natural for us to think of world history in European terms. But recently, we have begun to recognize the role East Asia has come to play in the world. China is the world's most populous state and has been going through a tremendous revolution. Japan is now the third greatest economic power int eh world and has the fastest growth rate. Meanwhile, Korea and Vietnam have had (and continue to have)quite specific effects on our lives. Our futures is clearly linked to what happens in East Asia. We need a solid, comprehensive, authoritative history, one that can provide us with both solid background and understanding, so that the pattern of events, past and present, can be viewed in perspective.