ABSTRACT
The study of war and society in East Asia (in the West) has followed a rather curious trajectory, conditioned by assumptions emanating from nineteenth-century imperialist clashes and then colored by the massive military conflicts of the twentieth century, most notably the Second World War. While space precludes going into great detail, this chapter highlights the most salient developments in the field of war and society in East Asia, which encompasses China, Japan, and Korea. It first reviews major trends in the field, and then highlights some key works for each of these three places in chronological fashion, noting that the political boundaries and identities of said regions evolved considerably over time. The chapter focuses on works from the past three decades because they provide the clearest view of the state of the field and represent by far the most fruitful period of scholarship.
