The Imperial Cruise: A Secret History of Empire and War |  | Author: James Bradley
Creator: Richard Poe
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Category: Book
List Price: $39.98
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as of 9/4/2010 20:47 CDT details
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Seller: fillmoremusic
Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 415,915
Format: Audiobook, Unabridged
Media: Audio CD
Edition: Unabridged
Number Of Items: 8
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 5.7 x 5.3 x 1.6
ISBN: 1600243959
Dewey Decimal Number: 359.4
EAN: 9781600243950
ASIN: 1600243959
Publication Date: November 24, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In 1905 President Teddy Roosevelt dispatched Secretary of War William Taft, his gun-toting daughter Alice and a gaggle of congressmen on a mission to Japan, the Philippines, China, and Korea. There, they would quietly forge a series of agreements that divided up Asia. At the time, Roosevelt was bully-confident about America's future on the continent. But these secret pacts lit the fuse that would-decades later-result in a number of devastating wars: WWII, the Korean War, the communist revolution in China.
One hundred years later, James Bradley retraces that epic voyage and discovers the remarkable truth about America's vast imperial past-and its world-shaking consequences. Full of fascinating characters and brilliantly told, THE IMPERIAL CRUISE will forever reshape the way we understand U.S. history
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 7
 Interesting, novel approach to the reason behind WWII February 6, 2010
Mary Lou Bolger
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Great book by the author of Fly Boys. Bradley did his homework. A great read or listen for those of us interested in the cause behind Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.
Important History February 3, 2010
John Mugge (Phoenixville, PA)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is the history every American should know. The extent to which white racism was second nature to Americans in the 19th and early 20th century. The extent to which America engaged in Imperialistic warmongering. The cruelty perpetrated on foreign peoples. And the extent to which America promoted war among other nations and sowed the seeds for future conflicts. And of course, what a monster Teddy Roosevelt really was.
This book does a good job of letting the readers know about Teddy Roosevelt's foreign policy. A nice companion book would be Gabriel Kolko's "The Triumph of Conservatism" as it gives a good picture of TR's domestic agenda. Here you see that TR was not the progressive that many think he was. Rather, all of the major legislation passed under Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson favored big business and big finance. In both foreign and domestic affairs America still has deep seated mindsets it needs to overcome and the first step towards accomplishing this task is to understand our history the way it really went down.
Incredible February 10, 2010
G. Pabon
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Awesome and incredible audio book. At first hearing I felt it was a bit opinionated but as I continued to listen, it was incredible to discover the dark side of our nations history. So many of us run to wave our flag and point the finger when individuals or other countries do things we disagree with, but when we discover that we too are guilty of injustices, we refuse accountability. Being an American means being responsible. You are a great American Mr. James Bradley. Thank you for a wonderful and insightful book.
 Imperial Cruise March 29, 2010
William B. Krag (Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Excellent research implicating President Teddy Roosevelt and William H. Taft in secertly making and breaking promises so secret that our foreigh services and US Senate were not involved. This totally unacceptable behavoir sturred up such lasting Anti-American feelings thoughout the Aisan countries that the author implies that the beginning for World War II was founded.
A must read. December 24, 2009
knowledge is power (LA, CA)
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
This book should be required reading for anybody who loves this country. Although it paints a decidedly one sided, and unflattering picture of Roosevelt, it's a side of the man and his ideals that people need to know: the the champion of the conservation movement, and progressive anti-trust reform was a racist, messianic warmonger. In telling this story, Bradley gives a very through history lesson on the attitudes that shaped this country's domestic and foreign policies. This is a history that each of us needs to know, unless we are to repeat the terrible errors of the past.
"The Imperial Cruise" is not a light read. The research is extremely thorough. Bradley posits a theory that is arguable, but he props it up against a mountain of evidence, which may seem at times redundant and overwhelming. But some of these facts are so contrary to our modern conceptions about our own history, that perhaps being heavy handed is necessary to drive home the point. In the face of all these facts, it's hard to completely dismiss his conclusions.
If you are looking for cloak and dagger, this is not the book for you. But if you have a thirst for history, you won't be able to put it down.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 7
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