The author convincingly argues that a little-known, but intense Soviet-Japanese conflict along the Manchurian- Mongolian frontier at Nomonhan influenced the outbreak of World War II and shaped the course of the war. He not only demonstrates the linkage between the Nomonhan conflict, the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact, and the outbreak of World War II, but also shows how Nomonhan influenced Japan's decision to go to war with the United States and thus change the course of history.

The Legacy of the Past -- The Global Context -- Changkufeng -- Nomonhan : Preliminaries -- Nomonhan : A Lesson in Limited War -- Nomonhan, the Nonaggression Pact, and the Outbreak of WW II -- Nomonhan Casts a Long Shadow : Lessons of Nomonhan : Learned and Not Learned -- Epilogue.