American Foreign Policy since World War 2 [Paperback]

John Spanier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0871877279 | ISBN-13: 978-0871877277 | Edition: 15th edition

As distinctive as it was, the Bush administration s foreign policy still fits within Hook and Spanier s coherent theme of American exceptionalism. Chances are that the Obama administration, no matter how different it may be, will also share this orientation in important ways, thereby giving readers the historical context they need to understand not just the past eight years, but the full history of American foreign policy since World War II.

This revision to their classic text is much more than a simple update. Careful editing and streamlining of key chapters keep the book relevant and accessible, while placing recent events in their proper perspective.

Key revisions include:
* Previously separate chapters on U.S. relations with the developing world and U.S. involvement in Vietnam have been combined to show the collision of East- West and North-South relations.
* Chapters on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are thoroughly updated.
* Full treatment is given to the current economic crisis.
* A new concluding chapter makes note of the changing of the guard from Bush to the Obama administration, and looks ahead to Obama s leadership, strategic goals, and policy initiatives.
Readers will also find abundant resources in new or updated tables, figures, and maps, as well as a robust set of appendixes and end-of-chapter materials, including a chronology of world events and annotated web resources.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steven W. Hook is associate professor of political science at Kent State University. He is the author of U.S. Foreign Policy: The Paradox of World Power, 2nd Edition, National Interest and Foreign Aid, and editor of Comparative Foreign Policy: Adaptation Strategies of the Great and Emerging Powers, and Foreign Aid Toward the Millennium. He is a past president of the Foreign Policy Analysis sections of the American Political Science Association and the International Studies Association.

John Spanier received his PhD from Yale University. Since joining the faculty of the University of Florida in 1957, Spanier has lectured at the U.S. State Department s Foreign Service Institute, the Naval War College, military service academies, and several universities. Among his many other books is Games Nations Play.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: CQ Press; 15th edition edition (June 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871877279
• ISBN-13: 978-0871877277
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,340,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Guide to US Foreign Policy, July 6, 2005

By 

AMD - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Foreign Policy Since World War II (Paperback)

Now in its 16th edition, American Foreign Policy Since World War II has become one of the most respected guides on the ins and outs US foreign engagement in the 20th century. Combining theory and insight to this historical perspective, Hook and Spanier have created a very thorough book that takes a balanced look at both the domestic and international issues that have shaped US foreign policy. This book is comprehensive and comprehensible, making it perfect as leisure reading for those interested in international politics or a text for an international relations course. The fourteen chapters:

1. The American Approach to Foreign Policy

2. From World War to Cold War

3. Containment: From Theory to Practice

4. Developing Countries in the Crossfire

5. Vietnam and the Cost of Containment

6. The Era of Superpower Detente

7. Jimmy Carter and World-Order Politics

8. The Revival of Superpower Confrontation

9. The End of the Cold War

10. America's "Unipolar Moment"

11. Old Tensions in a New Order

12. The Shifting European Landscape

13. America under Fire

14. A World of Trouble

are useful individually to address a specific issue, region, or time period, and as a set to provide a broad overview.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great course book on American foreign policy, November 18, 2008

By 

Heather - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Foreign Policy Since World War II, 17th Edition (Paperback)

I had to buy this book for one of my classes in college. Usually textbooks are dry, boring, and not all that informative. However, I really enjoyed reading this and I have kept ahold of it because it contains a great deal of information. It's interesting, never really all that dry and boring, and it will help any college student who is taking a class on international relations and U.S. foreign policy. If your professor hasn't already recommended this, I highly recommend it. It's also a great book for anyone who is a history buff or just interested in international relations and foreign policy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Building Blocks, January 10, 2005

By 

D V (Toronto) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Foreign Policy Since World War II (Paperback)

Steven W. Hook and John Spanier's book on American foreign policy since WWII is a great introduction for those seeking a detailed yet concise elucidation. The authors exploit all levels of analysis (unit, state, and system), and posit a "peculiar national style" and a degree of continuity as underlying the nature of US foreign policy since 1945. Despite the lucanae bound to be found in a wide-ranging account, Hook and Spanier's book is still an excellent building block for understanding post-WWII US foreign policy as well as basic international relations' theory.