Introduction to the issues

Lecture topics (keyed to Arc of Empire, Introduction [pp. 1-9]):

• The meaning of empire, its relevance to U.S. involvement in eastern Asia, and the question of American exceptionalism.
• The ramifications of war: technology, politics, economy, society, culture.

Study questions:

• What objections can you envision to the definition of empire supplied in the introduction to Arc of Empire? How compelling are those objections?
• Consider how the definition of empire might apply today to countries or territory in the U.S. orbit or (for that matter) in the orbit of other powers such as Russia or China? Does applying the label illuminate, or is it an empty semantic exercise?