Report - Book Report/Review Example

It is therefore prudent to note that Bradley provide a shoddy work of history. The main theme that is evidenced in this book is the role of Theodore Roosevelt in crafting early 20th century US policy towards the Far East and how that contributed to the descent, more than generation later into war with Japan. Bradley talks about the racial prejudice, diplomatic duplicity, presidential hubris and the consequences that were to follow as a result of these. The title of the book suggest that it is the story of the then- secretary of War William Howard Taft’s 1905 cruise to the far east and how it fits into the Asian policy objectives of president Theodore Roosevelt.

The imperial cruise is a non-fiction book written by James Bradley giving episodes of American history. The book sheds light about the history of the American political affairs in Pacific during the reign of President Theodore Roosevelt. It also sheds light about some secret diplomatic missions that were conceived by Roosevelt that was likely to affect the United States involvement in Asia for generations that were to come. Various styles of writing were employed in this book. For instance, the use of sarcasm is wide in the book.

For example Bradley description of Theodore Roosevelt as being arrogant, self centered and particularly racist is absurd. This is because, despite being a progressive racial thinker during his time and believing that some people more so the Americans and the British was a head of others, and that the more advanced people should help the less advanced move forward, he rejected totally discrimination against skin color and ethnicity. Another style is mockery. For instance, Bradley depicted Theodore Roosevelt as the Man behind Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 yet it was Theodore who cultivated a friendly U.

S- Japan relationship. One could say that his assertion was however ironical. Despite the fact that the book is enjoyable, it is prudent to note that the book was not well written. Some of the historical evidence that have been utilized in this book is sharply in disagreement with the findings provided by some of the credible, professional and popular historian of the generation. For instance, Bradley description of Theodore Roosevelt as being arrogant, self centered and particularly racist is absurd.

This is because, despite being a progressive racial thinker during his time and believing that some people more so the Americans and the British was a head of others, and that the more advanced people should help the less advanced move forward, he rejected totally discrimination against skin color and ethnicity. Another point where Bradley went wrong is his emphasis of about the idea that Theodore Roosevelt believed in Aryan supremacy is totally insidious. He would have been the American counterpart of Winston Churchill in calling for active resistance to the Aryan-supremacist aggression of the Nazis had he lived into 1930s.

Besides, he could have condemned unequivocally Japanese brutality in China. In contrast with majority of American, rejects the notion that war was ever necessary. He apparently believes it is pompous fallacy to characterize any foreign nation or organization as evil. For instance, he claims that all that is needed is “human links between cultures). By depicting Theodore Roosevel