Pacific Books

About Pacific

The Pacific region encompasses a vast expanse of ocean dotted with islands and flanked by major powers including the United States, China, Japan, and Australia. It has been a strategically significant military zone for over a century, most notably during World War II when it was the central theater for the conflict between the Allied and Axis powers in the Pacific War. Naval and amphibious warfare dominated this campaign, with key battles at Midway, Guadalcanal, and Iwo Jima shaping the course of the war. The legacy of World War II continues through security alliances, military bases, and maritime disputes. Today, the Pacific remains vital in terms of global shipping lanes, undersea cables, and security architecture. Tensions over Taiwan, North Korea, and the South China Sea keep the region at the forefront of modern defense policy. U.S. Pacific Command (now Indo-Pacific Command) manages one of the largest military regions in the world. Small Pacific Island nations are increasingly important in regional diplomacy and host critical infrastructure. Military cooperation among countries like Japan, Australia, South Korea, and the U.S. underlines the region’s growing importance in maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. This region reflects both the legacy of world wars and the shifting currents of modern strategic competition.