For more than sixty years; George F. Kennan’s American Diplomacy has been a standard work on American foreign policy. Drawing on his considerable diplomatic experience and expertise; Kennan offers an overview and critique of the foreign policy of an emerging great power whose claims to rightness often spill over into self-righteousness; whose ambitions conflict with power realities; whose judgmentalism precludes the interests of other states; and whose domestic politics frequently prevent prudent policies and result in overstretch. Keenly aware of the dangers of military intervention and the negative effects of domestic politics on foreign policy; Kennan identifies troubling inconsistencies in the areas between actions and ideals—even when the strategies in question turned out to be decided successes.In this expanded sixtieth-anniversary edition; a substantial new introduction by John J. Mearsheimer; one of America’s leading political realists; provides new understandings of Kennan’s work and explores its continued resonance. As America grapples with its new role as one power among many—rather than as the “indispensable nation†that sees “further into the futureâ€â€”Kennan’s perceptive analysis of the past is all the more relevant. Today; as then; the pressing issue of how to wield power with prudence and responsibility remains; and Kennan’s cautions about the cost of hubris are still timely. Refreshingly candid; American Diplomacy cuts to the heart of policy issues that continue to be hotly debated today.“These celebrated lectures; delivered at the University of Chicago in 1950; were for many years the most widely read account of American diplomacy in the first half of the twentieth century.â€â€”Foreign Affairs; Significant Books of the Last 75 Years
#659673 in Books Lewis A Erenberg 1996-05-15 1996-05-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.00 x 6.00l; 1.06 #File Name: 0226215121356 pagesWar in American Culture Society and Consciousness during World War II
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Misleading title.By C. SimonThe title infers a much broader description/discussion of American culture during WWII. The main emphasis in all chapters is race relations. That is certainly a very important topic; but it was too dominant and repetitive. Having been a child during this period; I wanted to know more about general changes and reactions to those changes. For example; how did people deal with ration coupons? How did various communities support service men stationed there? What was the attitude toward German and Japanese citizens in various parts of the US? Were there demonstrations against the detention camps for Japanese? Was there any spy activity within the US for either the German or Japanese government? How was the New Deal affected by changes in war time policies? The title suggested a much broader coverage of this historical period. Having been born in 1939; I was a part of this history but too young to really get a feel for how American culture was altered; I was curious to find out more.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. more than satisfiedBy Customernot a scratch13 of 16 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating Collection of 13 different articlesBy AmandaThis book is a must-read; despite the fact that there are thousands of histories written about the Second World War. Its thirteen chapters discuss different topics; so there is something for everybody; and every essay is meticulously crafted; making them both delightful and simple to read. This book provides an insight into World War II that few other books are able to provide because of the wide-scope of the thirteen essays; yet all of the essays revolve around a central theme which makes this paper useful in studies; yet provocative and interesting.Viewed by many as "the last good war;" World War II smashed Nazism; and resulted in a clear-cut victory for America which became the richest nation on earth. However; this book stomps out the idea of the last good war by bringing attention to the irony that while Americans were fighting a war on inequality abroad; they had their own home-front war to wage on race; gender and ethnic relations. Erenberg and Hirsch's book is a collection of thirteen different articles that provide insight into American culture during the World War II within a variety of contexts ranging from censorship to swing and zoot suits to privacy.The first part of the book; titled "The Quest for National Unity" contains three articles and is; by far; my favorite section. The essay by Perry R. Duis examines the war's effect on privacy in Chicago. He interestingly points-out that for the first time; Americans' homes were invaded by strangers who; in the case of disaster; needed to know the basic lay-out of every home and a detailed description of the family members and their schedules in the unfortunate event of a necessary rescue. George H. Roeder Jr.'s article takes readers on a fascinating ride through formerly censored photographs as he explains what was censored during the war and why. This article shows readers how the American government strictly controlled public opinion during the war and even gives readers a peek into photographs that somehow made it past the watchful eye of the censors. Lary May's article examines how the film industry supported ethnic pluralism and utopian ideals during the war; and is certain to introduce key players like Frank Capra and his Why We Fight series. One of his primary examples is Lifeboat; a movie that portrayed European immigrants as full Americans.The remainder of the book provides insight into varying experiences of American minorities; including women; Japanese and Chinese-Americans; African-Americans; Mexican-Americans and Native Americans. The most fascinating aspect of Erenberg and Hirsch's book is that some essays examine the different minorities as a micro-history; while others do a comprehensive study.
