I. Irresistible Force, Immovable Object

II. Joining the Club (1868-1900)

III. The Turn (1900-1912)

IV. Revolution, War, and Race (1912-1920)

V. Creating the New Era: From Washington to Mukden (1921-1931)

VI. The Slipknot: Part 1 From Mukden ...

VII. The Slipknot: Part 2 ... to Pearl Harbor

VIII. World War II: The Clash Over Two Visions

IX. To Create a New Japan: Reforming, Reversing, Warring (1945-1951)

X. The 1950s: The Pivotal Decade

XI. A "Miracle" Appears; China Reappears (1960-1973)

XII. The End of an Era (Since 1973)

Conclusion. The Clash: The Present in Retrospect.