World War II and Southeast Asia: Economy and Society under Japanese Occupation

Japan's occupation of Southeast Asia from 1941 to 1945 had a devastating economic impact, with GDP falling by half and 4.4 million civilian deaths due to famine and forced labor. Gregg Huff's new study provides a comprehensive account of the economies and societies of Southeast Asia during this period, drawing on materials from 25 archives across three continents.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 553 pages
Publication date: 09 June 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

From December 1941, Japan, as part of its grand plan to establish an East Asian empire and secure vital oil supplies essential for its war in the Pacific, swiftly took control of Southeast Asia. The Japanese occupation had a catastrophic economic impact on the region. Japan imposed country and later regional autarky on Southeast Asia, dictated that the region finance its own occupation, and sent almost no consumer goods. GDP fell by half everywhere in Southeast Asia except Thailand. Famine and forced labor accounted for most of the 4.4 million Southeast Asian civilian deaths under Japanese occupation. In this groundbreaking new study, Gregg Huff provides the first comprehensive account of the economies and societies of Southeast Asia during the 1941-1945 Japanese occupation. Drawing on materials from 25 archives across three continents, his economic, social, and historical analysis presents a fresh perspective on Southeast Asian history and development before, during, and after the Pacific War.

The Japanese Occupation of Southeast Asia: A Devastating Economic Impact

From December 1941, Japan, as part of its ambitious plan to establish an East Asian empire and secure essential oil supplies for its war in the Pacific, swiftly took control of Southeast Asia. The Japanese occupation had a devastating economic impact on the region. Japan imposed country and later regional autarky on Southeast Asia, dictating that the region finance its own occupation, and sent almost no consumer goods. GDP fell by half everywhere in Southeast Asia except Thailand. Famine and forced labor accounted for most of the 4.4 million Southeast Asian civilian deaths under Japanese occupation.

In this groundbreaking new study, Gregg Huff offers the first comprehensive account of the economies and societies of Southeast Asia during the 1941-1945 Japanese occupation. Drawing on materials from 25 archives across three continents, his economic, social, and historical analysis provides a fresh perspective on Southeast Asian history and development before, during, and after the Pacific War.

ISBN-13: 9781107492011