American adventurism abroad : invasions, interventions, and regime changes since World War II / Michael J. Sullivan III.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sullivan, Michael J., 1941-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Regime change.

History.

Intervention (International law).

United States--Foreign relations--Developing countries.

United States.

International relations.

Developing countries.

Developing countries--Foreign relations--United States.

United States--Foreign relations--1945-1989.

United States--Foreign relations--1989-.

Intervention (International law)--History--20th century.

Intervention (International law)--History--21st century.

Regime change--History--20th century.

Regime change--History--21st century.

Physical Description:

xii, 267 pages ; 23 cm

Edition:

Revised and expanded edition.

Place of Publication:

Malden, MA : Blackwell Pub., 2008.

Summary:

Since the end of World War II, the United States has embarked on a succession of military and economic interventions, invasions, and regime changes across the globe. Whether in the name of containing communism during the Cold War or fighting global terrorism post-9-11, the United States has a long history of rationalizing its interventions into developing countries. Yet as Michael Sullivan shows, a sober look at the facts reveals this adventurism abroad to have had a primary rationale - that of establishing itself as the world's only superpower and the pre-eminent force of the global capitalist system irrespective of the tremendous political and social cost to the countries involved. From the "mere" loss of democracy to civil war and the consolidation of authoritarianism, 500 years of local politics have been interrupted as result of America's actions. Moreover, the US military's might and superior technology has led to a disproportionate destruction of life - with more than six million war-related deaths at the sites of US interventions.

In this revised paperback edition, American Adventurism Abroad traces US foreign policy from the late 1940s through the past six years of Americas "war on terror." Comprising 34 case studies of overseas US militaristic meddling throughout this period, drawn from eleven presidencies and five geographic regions, and complete with extensive bibliographies, this volume offers a detailed and compelling picture of American foreign policy and its position in the world today.

Contents:

Introduction

From World War II to the Cold War : the Truman years, 1945-52

The expanding empire under Eisenhower, 1953-60

The Kennedy-Johnson idealist extensions, 1961-8

The Nixon-Ford realist consolidations, 1969-76

Jimmy Carter's human rights pause, 1977-80

Ronald Reagan : the last cold warrior, 1981-8

The post-Cold War era : Bush, Clinton, and the search for new themes, 1989-2001

George W. Bush and the "War on Terror".

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781405170758

1405170751

OCLC:

123818211

Online:

Contributor biographical information

Publisher description