“William Rust in his three-volume history of the origins of the Second Indochinese War provides readers with a case history of which current policymakers should remain aware.The conflict in Vietnam has received considerable attention from scholars, but Rust makes a significant contribution by focusing his analysis upon the neighboring nations of Cambodia and Laos during the administrations of Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John Kennedy...Rust writes in a clear fashion, and his chronology should be accessible to both scholars and interested general readers. While a journalist by profession, Rust follows the historian’s craft by relying upon a careful reading of primary documents and diplomatic communications available in the National Archives, Library of Congress, and Presidential Libraries.”

Each of William Rust’s three histories of US relations with Laos and Cambodia has been named to Choice magazine’s annual list of Outstanding Academic Titles. Selected by the editors of Choice, a publication of the American Library Association, this prestigious list reflects the best of the scholarly titles reviewed by the magazine.

The late S. Dillon Ripley, leader of the Smithsonian Institution from 1964 to 1984, was never publicly candid about all of his work for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II and its successor intelligence agency, the Strategic Services Unit. "The Talented Dr. Ripley,” released in June 2020, reveals his leading role in planning operations and recruiting spies, including himself, for postwar espionage in Southeast Asia.

William Rust once again reminds us that we can find no better guide to the labyrinthine origins of America’s tragic entanglements in Southeast Asia. Deeply researched in a broad spectrum of archives and uncovering a range of hitherto little known or even unknown intelligence activities, The Mask of Neutrality explores the twists and turns of the US posture toward the decolonization of Indonesia with insight, nuance, and historical sensibility. A sobering account, it will remain the go-to history for years to come.

Richard Immerman, Temple University

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