Read e-book online A Sense of Power: The Roots of America's World Role PDF

Why has the U.S. assumed so vast and dear a job in international affairs during the last hundred years? the 2 most typical solutions to this question are "because it might probably" and "because it had to." Neither resolution will do, in accordance with this not easy second look of how that the United States got here to imagine its international position. The country's immense fiscal assets gave it the skill to workout nice impact in another country, yet american citizens have been lengthy reluctant to satisfy the prices of wielding that strength. Neither the country's safeguard from overseas assault nor its financial health required the success of formidable international coverage objectives.

In A experience of Power, John A. Thompson takes a protracted view of America's dramatic upward push as an international energy, from the past due 19th century into the post–World conflict II period. How, and extra importantly why, has the United States come to play the sort of dominant position in international affairs? there's, he argues, no uncomplicated resolution. Thompson demanding situations traditional motives of America's involvement in international conflict I and international battle II, seeing neither the necessities of nationwide safety nor monetary pursuits as opting for. He indicates how American leaders from Wilson to Truman built an ever extra capacious realizing of the nationwide curiosity, and why through the Nineteen Forties such a lot american citizens got here to help the cost tag, in blood and treasure, connected to strenuous efforts to form the area. The ideals and feelings that led them to take action mirrored precise points of U.S. tradition, now not least the power of ties to Europe. attention of the nation’s targeted energy fostered emotions of accountability, entitlement, and aspiration one of the humans and leaders of the United States.

This unique research demanding situations a few commonly held ideals in regards to the determinants of usa overseas coverage and may deliver new perception to modern debates approximately no matter if the country should—or must—play so energetic an element in global politics.