The reach of this book stretches rather further than the title suggests as this is really a broad survey of Great Power conflict in the north of China from the late 19th-century into the period 1919-1939. As for what this war that Moscow denied was even a war (compare with Putin's foreign policy tactics) meant it indicated that Moscow was back as a major power (and would defend its privileges ruthlessly), it meant that China was not quite ready for the big leagues, though Walker argues that Chang (the "Young Marshal") Hsueu-liang's legions fought much harder then they were given credit for, and between these two realities Japan made its plans accordingly (mostly seeing what it wanted to see). Above all though Manchuria is where the 1920s dream of a world where war was outlawed died. ( )