This volume recounts Southeast Asian history for the last half millennium (1511-2014). It begins by tracing the path of Western colonialism as it gradually infects the entire region. The work continues by narrating each country's route to independence from foreign domination. It finishes up by comparing Southeast Asia's global metrics with the other nations in the world. Cultures, countries and companies speak for themselves in this tale. As such, the work could be characterized as historical fiction.