The only battle of World War I to be fought in East Asia, how it came about, and why its aftermath is still relevant today

In 1914, Europe was not the only continent coming to terms with a new form of conflict. Through a mix of complex alliances and global ambition, the war had spread to northern China, where the German-held port of Tsingtao became a key battleground. To strike a blow at Kaiser Wilhelm's naval forces, Britain and its ally Japan lay siege to the port during October and November. In The Siege of Tsingtao, the first of the Penguin China Specials on World War I, celebrated historian Jonathan Fenby examines the causes of the battle, the ulterior motives for it, and the path it helped set East Asia on for decades to come.

Jonathan Fenby, CBE, has been the editor of the Observer and the South China Morning Post. His books include How It Got There and Where It Is Heading, Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the China He Lost; Snake Tails: China Today, The Penguin History of Modern China, and Tiger Head. He is currently China Director at the research service Trusted Sources.