how they were in direct conflict with one another. What he portrays is an overwhelming lack of respect for the Japanese people by the Russians, evident in their idea of the Japanese as "puny yellow men" and, in Japan, a general feeling of invincibility, as is noted by their teaching that every Japanese war effort had been a success. After introducing these prejudicial and immodest views, respectively, he presents the more substantial areas of conflict, with those mainly being territorial. In fact, as he explains, Japan and Russia were beginning to follow more "Western" expansionist policies and both saw the weakening Chinese Empire as the prime target for this expansion. Not sur!
             prisingly, this created much in the way of problems, with Russia and Japan seeing each other as the main threat to their respective ambitions.
             Still in the first chapter, Westwood delves into the negotiations setup by President Theodore Roosevelt in hopes of a peaceful resolution, although as I read, I realized that they could have been summarized in one word...deadlock. However, in his historical analysis of the work, Westwood sees fit to mention them without hesitation, rightly so I should add. In his discussion of the negotiations, the main point is made that each side was unwilling, almost completely, to concede anything to the other. This was mainly because, although a war was clearly not the euphoric solution, Russians were not frightened by the "puny yellow" Japanese and the Japanese saw themselves as invincible. In concordance, since Russian presence in Manchuria and their objective to obtain Korea as well were national security issues for the Japanese and the Russians had no intentions to rescind these plans, many high-ranking officials on both sides saw a war as inevitable. In fact, there were even thos!
             e who saw a war as desirable. Following these failed negotiations was a declaration made by the Japanese...