Latin America at The End of Politics

The strength and prestige of democracy worldwide at the end of the twentieth century are due in good measure to the impact of America on international affairs, argues Tony Smith.

American foreign policy is fundamental to any understanding of how the post-war world has been shaped. This insightful and wide-ranging book analyses the policies pursued by each presidency from that of Harry Truman to George W. Bush, and reviews the far-reaching consequences of these actions. Taking into account the most recent research and scholarly interpretations, T. G. Fraser and Donette Murray examine the priorities of each successive administration and how these have had to adapt under the pressure of events on a global scale.

The strength and prestige of democracy worldwide at the end of the twentieth century are due in good measure to the impact of America on international affairs, argues Tony Smith. Here for the first time is a book that documents the extraordinary history of American foreign policy with respect to the promotion of democracy worldwide, an effort whose greatest triumph came in the occupations of Japan and Germany but whose setbacks include interventions in Latin America and Vietnam.

As American interests assumed global proportions after 1945, policy makers were faced with the challenge of prioritizing various regions and determining the extent to which the United States was prepared to defend and support them.