chapter Introduction / HOWARD M. HENSEL -- part Part I The maritime heritage of the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific -- chapter 1 The Indian Ocean, crossroads between East and West: pre-1904 / HOWARD M. HENSEL -- chapter 2 The great power struggle for the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific: 1904–1949 / HOWARD M. HENSEL -- chapter 3 Decolonization and the Cold War in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific: 1945–1991 / HOWARD M. HENSEL -- chapter 4 Maritime strategic developments in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific since the end of the Cold War -- part Part II Contemporary maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific -- chapter 5 Strategic maritime oil chokepoints in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific / NAYANTARA D. HENSEL -- chapter 6 From the Suez Canal to the Gulf of Aden / DAVID H. SHINN -- chapter 7U.S. national security policy and the Persian Gulf / DANIEL GOURE -- chapter 8 The security significance of the Malacca-Singapore Straits / RICHARD A. BITZINGER -- chapter 9 The South China Sea: a Chinese perspective / XIAOMING ZHANG -- chapter 10 Sino-Japanese maritime conflicts and security concerns in the East China Sea / XIAOBING LI -- chapter Conclusion / HOWARD M. HENSEL.

"Scholars and policy makers have traditionally viewed portions of the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific as separate and discrete political, economic, and military regions. In recent years, however, a variety of economic, political, and military forces have made many within the academic community, as well as a growing number of national governmental leaders, change their perceptions and recognize that these maritime expanses are one zone of global interaction. Consequently, political, military, and economic developments in one maritime region increasingly have an impact elsewhere. Analysing and assessing the contemporary maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific, this valuable study highlights the current prospects for peace and security in what is rapidly becoming recognized as an integrated and interactive political, military-strategic, and economic environment.This work will be of interest to researchers and policy-makers involved in regional studies, as well as security studies, conflict resolution, military, and peace studies."--Provided by publisher.