Preface/Notes

Intro
Chapter 1: Water and Land: The Geopolitics of Southeast Asia
Chapter 2: People, Immigration History in Southeast Asia
Chapter 3: Great Empires
Chapter 4: The Prelude to the Colonial Era

Reference chronology

Embracing Southeast Asia broadly and deeply, encountering their present.

This book features numerous historical episodes and figures, but ultimately it boils down to an effort to understand Southeast Asia today.
It shows the historical stories that shaped their present, such as how the military still rules Myanmar today, why the atmospheres of Hanoi and Saigon in Vietnam are so different, what are the historical roots of the peculiar relationship between Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, why the class structure and gap between rich and poor in the Philippines are so chronic, and why Laotians listen to Thai broadcasts on a daily basis.


So, as readers follow the numerous episodes of this book, each incident is organized and understood within the context of today, allowing them to broadly and deeply embrace Southeast Asia.
And what's most enjoyable is that the process is fun.

A world of excitement and adventure, filled with deep history and diverse culture.

The author said, “If you look into the history of Southeast Asia, it is surprisingly deep-rooted, diverse, and interesting.
“This region has embraced Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and even Confucianism while still having its own voice because it has been a crossroads of exchange between the East and the West for thousands of years, embracing all the world’s cultures without rejecting any,” he says.


The author then states, “Southeast Asia is a major target for foreign direct investment, a place that can be reached in 3 to 6 hours by plane, a place where most of the energy resources heading to our country pass through the strait, and a place where 650 million brothers and sisters who are the main customers of our products live.” He adds, “I hope that through this book, we will take an interest as partners in their struggles and survival, who have gone through a similar history to ours.”

After reading the four volumes of the series during the editing process, I can confidently say this:
'From now on, Southeast Asia will look different as you travel.
Because the city's alleys and the mountains and rivers we pass by will continue to tell us rich stories.'

Note

Maps and timelines of Southeast Asia included in each volume aid reading comprehension.
Additionally, since the complex stories are made up of warp and weft, if there is another part that is connected to the events and characters covered in the text, the pages are indexed to help the reader understand.
This is a consideration in response to the requests of readers of the previous work, 『La Belle Epoque』.