US Grand Strategy and the Third World

Post-WWII US Preponderance

• US emerged as a dominant power after WWII.
• Strategy based on political-economic understanding.
• US capitalism required an open world economy for trade and investment.
• US planners aimed for liberal hegemony, expanding capitalism globally and embedding US primacy in the global economy.

Liberal Theory

• Golden Age of Capitalist Development: Economic reconstruction in Europe and Asia, democratization, and creation of multilateral institutions.
• G. John Ikenberry's Liberal International Order: Defined by open markets, social bargains, multilateral rules-based institutions (UN, IMF, WB), security binding, democratic solidarity, and human rights.

US Grand Strategy: The Third World

• Contradictory relationship between liberal and hegemonic elements.
• Dependence on strategic minerals and raw materials from the Third World.
• US concerns about economic nationalism in underdeveloped countries.

US Strategy in Asia

• Initial focus on maintaining power in Asia-Pacific through China under Chiang Kai-Shek.
• Post-Chinese Revolution (1949) shift to revive Japanese capitalism.
• Korean Peninsula: Division post-WWII, US supports South Korea under Syngman Rhee against communist North. Korean War (1950-53) was a civil war with heavy US/UN involvement.

US Strategy in the Middle East

• Dependence on foreign oil supplies post-WWII.
• Incorporation of Saudi Arabia into US orbit, strategic interest in Iran.
• 1953 Iran coup (Operation AJAX) supported by CIA to ensure favorable government.

US Strategy in Latin America

• Latin America as a significant trade partner by WWII.
• CIA-led operations against reform-oriented governments like Guatemala (1954 coup).

Cold War Interventions

• US interventions were often against democratically elected, reformist governments.
• Countries affected include Congo (1961), Ghana (1966), Brazil (1964), Indonesia (1965), and Chile (1973).

The Blood of Empire

• US foreign policy resulted in the overthrow of democracies, support for military dictatorships, and human rights atrocities.

Theoretical Debate

• Liberal theorists view US hegemony as part of a rules-based, democratic order.
• In the Third World, US strategy was often seen as imperialism, aligning with Marxist theory.

Recommended Video

• Howard Zinn's video on the history of US interventions: Watch on YouTube