American visions of Europe : Franklin D. Roosevelt, George F. Kennan, and Dean G. Acheson / John Lamberton Harper.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Harper, John Lamberton.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Europe--Foreign relations--United States.

Europe.

International relations.

United States.

United States--Foreign relations--Europe.

United States--Foreign relations--20th century.

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945.

Roosevelt, Franklin D.

Kennan, George F. (George Frost), 1904-2005.

Kennan, George F.

Acheson, Dean, 1893-1971.

Acheson, Dean.

Physical Description:

xi, 378 p : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Cambridge [England] ; New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, 1994.

Summary:

The problem of internecine conflict in Europe dominated the thoughts of U.S. statesmen during the four decades after 1914. This study in the varieties of modern American experience of Europe traces the development of three distinct personal answers to the question of what to do with Europe: Roosevelt's partial internationalism, aiming at the retirement of Europe from world politics while avoiding American entanglement; Kennan's partial isolationism, aspiring to restore Europe's centrality and autonomy through temporary American engagement; and Acheson's accommodating interventionism, establishing the United States as a permanent power in Europe at the behest of European and U.S. interests. Three learned and elegantly written portraits are set against the background of the dramatic events and foreign policy controversies of the twentieth century. Using a remarkably wide range of sources - including memoirs, original documents, and contemporary fiction - Harper describes how direct experience of Europe and Europeans helped to shape the feelings and attitudes of the three subjects, while providing a sophisticated and subtle analysis of the political and cultural influences that made up the mature vision of each. The seemingly eternal European Question shows few signs of diminishing in importance during the final, post-cold war years of the century. The book's conclusion shows the postwar resonance of the three visions and the way in which they retain their power to influence future U.S. policy toward the Old World.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0521454832

OCLC:

29185447