Asia after Versailles: Asian perspectives on the Paris Peace Conference and the interwar order, 1919–33

Abstract

As the world is commemorating the centenary of the First World War, Asia after Versailles is a much needed resource to understand how Asia was affected by the Paris Peace Conference and how Asia, in turn, influenced Versailles. The first chapters provide a general overview of the impact that Versailles had on Asia during the interwar period. This includes Mark Metzler's persuasive demonstration that Asia became a vital part of world economic, monetary and financial systems at this time. Next to this, Cemil Aydin highlights that the First World War and the Versailles system were ‘as crucial for Muslims in Asia as … for Europe’ (pp. 56–7), and that even though the First World War had strengthened the political legality of demands made in the name of national self-determination, ‘Muslim claims to rights in the name of a broader racial and civilizational community ended up being suppressed and curtailed’ (p. 72). Moreover, Torsten Weber argues that ‘Asia’ after Versailles was not the same as before: ‘Through heated debate rather than consensus, and often as an expedient or a mere tool of rhetoric rather than a principle, Asia had become a key concept in political discourse in Japan, China, other parts of Asia and, indeed, in the world’ (p. 89).