Jonathan Fenby is author of 20 books and a former editor of the Observer in the UK and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. His books include eight on China, four on France and two on the Second World War. His latest book, Crucible, describes the shaping of the modern world in 1947-8 from Europe to China. He has also held senior positions as a journalist at the Economist, the Guardian, and Reuters, and was a founding partner of a global analytical political and economic service, Trusted Sources. He has been awarded the CBE and the French Legion of Honour for his work.