"Professor Richard C. Thornton's book is a political history of the contentious American-Soviet-Chinese interaction during 1949 and 1950 that precipitated the Korean War and altered the shape of global politics from then to now. Odd Man Out is based on recently declassified and previously unavailable documents from Soviet, Chinese, and U.S. archives. Thornton contends that the war was primarily the result of the machinations and miscalculations of Stalin, Truman, Mao, and their respective advisors. Thus, the strife between North Koreans and South Koreans was secondary, and the war itself was avoidable."--BOOK JACKET.

Part IThree Alternative Futures -- 1 Truman and the "Wedge" Strategy in 1949 9 -- 2 Mao and Stalin: A Modus Vivendi? 24 -- 3 Truman Increases His Offer 51 -- Part II Mao's Choice and Its Consequences -- 4 Mao Wants It Both Ways, But First the Treaty 81 -- 5 Stalin Versus Mao, Korea or Taiwan: The Race to Strike First 101 -- 6 Truman's Dilemma and the Decision to Change Strategy 119 -- 7 Korea and Containment 146 -- Part III Korea: A War of Surprises -- 8 First Week: June 25-June 30 185 -- 9 Stalin and Truman: Different Means to the Same End 227 -- 10 Mao Attempts to Avoid Entrapment 247 -- Part IV Emergence of a New World Order -- 11 Truman: From Deterrence to Compulsion 277 -- 12 Mao and the Decision to Enter the Korean War 316 -- 13 Truman and the New World Order 348.