Includes bibliographical references (pages 263-268).
The path to calamity -- Outbreak of the Sino-Japanese conflict -- War efforts and peace overtures -- Alliance negotiations with Germany -- The caretaker cabinets -- Wang Ching-Wei's government -- The second Konoye cabinet -- The Tripartite pact -- The Russo-Japanese neutrality pact -- The southward advance -- Negotiating with the United States -- Collapse of Matsuoka's diplomacy -- The light of a false dawn -- The last plunge