Book Reviews
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Book Reviews Rajesh Basrur, Anit Mukherjee, and inclined to perceive India as the defen- T.V. Paul (eds.). India-China Maritime sive state in Indo-China competition, Competition: The Security Dilemma at and China as the aggressor, perhaps Sea. Cass Series in Naval Policy and even anarchic, state. The distinction History (ed. Geoffrey Till). London and between the aggressor and defensive New York: Routledge, www.routledge. nations is left unstated viz. China and com, 2019. xiii+192 pp., illustrations, the United States, but the implication tables, charts, index. US $155.00, cloth; that China is an unpredictable, anarchic ISBN 1-978-03670-0154-4.^pp state actor remains tacit. India-China Maritime Competition A compilation of the work of eleven offers two distinct analytical approach- scholars, Basrur, Mukherjee, and Paul es. First, the topics the contributors cov- (henceforth Basrur, et al.) present a rich er span the geographic region between volume focusing on the Indian-Ocean Pakistan and, eventually, the United Region (IOR), the archipelagos of States. Distinct focus is placed on the Southeast Asia, and the Asia Pacific Re- IOR, on China, and on the states affect- gion. They draw attention to the mari- ed by China’s swelling and increasing- time security dilemma existing between ly modern navy (People’s Liberation India and China, which is defined as Army Navy [PLAN]) and aggressive any situation where either state actor foreign policy in the form of the bur- makes a strategic decision that the other geoning Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). actor perceives as a threat. This results The second area of focus is the effect of in a corresponding action whereby the the United States on Sino-Indian securi- first state actor chooses to respond in ty relations, and policy implementation kind. In effect, neither player wins or vis-à-vis the two Asiatic nations. loses, but for them and anyone else in Drawing the connection between the region, “stepping up” to the inferred each nation on a geopolitical scale is threat increases tension rather than very useful, although perhaps not in as calming it. The book’s contributors are obvious a manner as one would think: The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord, XXIX, No. 4 (Winter 2019), 375-422 376 The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord Pakistan, India, Vietnam and China, of readers will likely prefer to access for instance, are major players in the the e-book version, for it is a third of region, but a gap in policy coverage the price of the hardbound edition—by was identified by the editors and con- far the most economical option. At this tributors in the form of the archipelagic lower price point, the book is worth- zones adjacent to the Southern Indian while purchasing. Given the book’s Ocean. As a result, chapters six and hefty price tag of $155.00 (USD) it is seven address the state of defence of the rather obvious that Routledge is pursu- Maldives, of Mauritius, the Seychelles, ing an environmentally friendly agenda and other small states in the region. Ig- with the premium it has placed on the noring these smaller states’ place and hardcopy. It would be a great disservice roles within the regional security di- to the contributors if Routledge were to lemma would be akin to ignoring Can- put a low price on a hardcopy, however, ada’s claim on the Arctic’s extended so this reduces the choice of format to a continental shelf: events and discourses reader’s personal preference. which may otherwise be dismissed as Functionally, India-China Mari- insignificant or spurious effect the pol- time Competition provides readers with icies of even the most powerful nations a veritable goldmine of resources, rang- nonetheless. ing from primary policy documents to The contributors acknowledge the media releases and op-eds. For scholars United States’ support of India, howev- seeking to dip into the realm of Asian er tacit or overt it may be, as a compli- maritime security studies, this volume cating factor in India’s security dilemma is an ideal starting point. Western pol- with China. The opposite is not neces- icy writers thrust suddenly into the sarily true. Andrew Winner argues that topic of transpacific security dilemmas any conflict between India and China will find these resources useful in and would not faze the United States over- of themselves. The analysis within is much, but as soon as China “steps out concise and well composed, its chap- of line” and annoys or inconveniences ter structure is logical and flows nice- the United States, tensions between the ly. India-China Maritime Competition two nations would mount immediate- is not recommended for undergraduate ly. Those tensions would spill over not students: it is a solid academic inves- only onto India, but to those island and tigation into Sino-Indian security rela- other regional states with which India tionships, and is utilized best by those has traditionally held mutually benefi- who have a strong background in secu- cial security agreements. Chapter five, rity studies, whether from a theoretical by Darshana Baruah and C. Raja Mo- or policy perspective, or from an opera- han entitled “The emergency dynamics tional perspective. of a Sino-Indian rivalry in the Bay of Bengal,” discusses how these tensions Ambjorn Adomeit can even bypass large sea lines of com- London, Ontario munications (SLOCs; in this case the SLOC routes through the South China George J. Billy. The USS Swordfish. Sea) and evolve overland and into In- The World War II Patrols of the First dia’s backyard. American Submarine to Sink a Japa- This reviewer was fortunate to re- nese Ship. Jefferson, NC: McFarland view a hardbound copy of India-China Publishing, www.mcfarlandbooks.com, Maritime Competition, but the majority 2019. xi+222 pp., illustrations, maps, Book Reviews 377 appendices, notes, bibliography, index. war period through the early years of US $35.00, paper; ISBN 978-1-4766- the war and the final patrol, as far as it 7774-3. (E-book available.) can be told. The book is augmented by four appendices which include techni- A ship’s history, like its land unit equiv- cal information about the boat, the crew alent, the regimental or unit history, is lists for the last patrol as well as sink- always an inherently personal thing. ing data and of diagrams of the subma- After all, it is a tale of people in the rine itself. This is all backed up with pressure cooker of combat and often, a glossary and extensive citations from there is a personal connection either extensive archival research, interviews, through the community and family, or and of course the literature available. it is built in the process of the writing. Reinforced with a solid bibliography, George Billy’s recent book on the USS the result is a strongly researched and Swordfish is no exception. In this par- written book. ticular case, his uncle, Michael Billy, The result is, thus, a well laid out made a lasting impression on a very history of the Swordfish, but with a young George, one that was reinforced strong feeling for the moment. Wheth- after the sub was lost with his uncle on er a simple description of the condition board. The result of this is a history of of the boat on return to harbour and the the USS Swordfish but also a labour of repairs needed or through a discussion love and respect for the men who went of the conditions on board, it places the to sea in her and especially those that reader within the experience extremely remain with her on eternal patrol. effectively. An excellent example is The Swordfish deserves this kind the very first attack conducted by the of effort. A Sargo-class submarine, she Swordfish. With an extremely green was laid down on 27 October 1937 and crew, this first attack was the real awak- commissioned on 22 July 1939. During ening of the crew regarding their war. her wartime career, she conducted 13 The author recounts the challenges of active war patrols, serving throughout the first attack with engines that made the war until she disappeared around 12 a lot of noise and the shockwaves of January 1945 while on her last patrol. closely detonating torpedoes into an ex- Her impressive record also includes perience that the reader can feel. Equal- eight battle stars, and a Naval Unit ly as telling are the accounts of the spe- Commendation for her first, second, cial missions conducted by Swordfish. and fourth patrols. Swordfish played For example, the rescue of President an important role in the critical early Manuel L. Quezon of the Philippines. stages of the war. She was responsi- Swordfish picked up the president, his ble for sinking the first Japanese ship family, and key members of his gov- by a submarine on 16 December 1941. ernment from Corregidor, carried them She also ran supplies to the Philippines through Japanese controlled waters to while helping to rescue people from the bring them to safety in Australia. In the fighting there. Telling the story of such process, the reader acquires a sense of a remarkable boat, crewed and com- the experience on board the boat, in- manded by remarkable men, presented cluding small daily activities and the a challenge but George Billy was cer- challenges everyone faced. In this case, tainly up to it. this included the loss of air condition- The story of the Swordfish is told ing, and the corresponding humidity and across seven chapters spanning the pre- potential health issues this produced for 378 The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord the President.