In this major reconceptualization of the history of U.S. foreign policy, Walter Hixson engages with the entire sweep of that history, from its Puritan beginnings to the twenty-first century’s war on terror. He contends that a mythical national identity, which includes the notion of American moral superiority and the duty to protect all of humanity, has had remarkable continuity through the centuries, repeatedly propelling America into war against an endless series of external enemies. As this myth has supported violence, violence in turn has supported the myth.
The Myth of American Diplomacy shows the deep connections between American foreign policy and the domestic culture from which it springs. Hixson investigates the national narratives that help to explain ethnic cleansing of Indians, nineteenth-century imperial thrusts in Mexico and the Philippines, the two World Wars, the Cold War, the Iraq War, and today’s war on terror. He examines the discourses within America that have continuously inspired what he calls our pathologically violent foreign policy.” The presumption that, as an exceptionally virtuous nation, the United States possesses a special right to exert power only encourages violence, Hixson concludes, and he suggests some fruitful ways to redirect foreign policy toward a more just and peaceful world.

The Myth of American Diplomacy: National Identity and U.S. Foreign Policy

History

Hixson, Walter L.

Americas

Yale University Press

A provocative new view of the history of U.S. foreign policy, how it reflects our national identity, and why it so regularly involves the use of military force In this major reconceptualization of the history of U.S. foreign policy, Walter Hixson engages with the entire sweep of that history, from its Puritan beginnings to the twenty-first century’s war on terror. He contends that a mythical national identity, which includes the notion of American moral superiority and the duty to protect all of humanity, has had remarkable continuity through the centuries, repeatedly propelling America into war against an endless series of external enemies. As this myth has supported violence, violence in turn has supported the myth.
The Myth of American Diplomacy shows the deep connections between American foreign policy and the domestic culture from which it springs. Hixson investigates the national narratives that help to explain ethnic cleansing of Indians, nineteenth-century imperial thrusts in Mexico and the Philippines, the two World Wars, the Cold War, the Iraq War, and today’s war on terror. He examines the discourses within America that have continuously inspired what he calls our “pathologically violent foreign policy.” The presumption that, as an exceptionally virtuous nation, the United States possesses a special right to exert power only encourages violence, Hixson concludes, and he suggests some fruitful ways to redirect foreign policy toward a more just and peaceful world.

During the Truman and Eisenhower administrations, Washington policymakers aspired to destabilize the Soviet and East European Communist Party regimes by implementing programs of psychological warfare and gradual cultural infiltration. In focusing on American propaganda and cultural infiltration of the Soviet empire in these years, Parting the Curtain emerges as a groundbreaking study of certain aspects of US Cold War diplomacy never before examined.

Parting the Curtain: Propaganda, Culture, and the Cold War, 1945-1961

PALGRAVE~MACMILLAN

In this biography, Walter Hixson examines the life of Charles Lindbergh. The book explores the experiences of Charles Lindbergh and his role as an important cultural figure in America. For anyone interested in American history or the life of Charles Lindbergh.

Charles A. Lindbergh: Lone Eagle (2nd Edition)

Biographies & Memoirs

Historical

Longman

In the 1920s America yearned for a hero. They had great baseball players and actors, but they longed for a seminal achievement — authentically heroic in its defiance of the odds. The Lone Eagle delivered, and the public treated him like a hero from a fairy tale, with rewards of wealth, fame, and a princess in marriage. But domestic tragedy followed. And so, in this wonderful concise biography, Walter Hixson has shown how "Lucky Lindy" exemplifies the triumphs and tragedies of America's coming of age. The titles in the Library of American Biography Series make ideal supplements for American History Survey courses or other courses in American history where figures in history are explored. Paperback, brief, and inexpensive, each interpretative biography in this series focuses on a figure whose actions and ideas significantly influenced the course of American history and national life. At the same time, each biography relates the life of its subject to the broader themes and developments of the times.

Charles A. Lindbergh: Lone Eagle (Library of American Biography Series)

Pearson

Parting the Curtain: Propaganda, Culture and the Cold War, 1945-61

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

American Foreign Relations

American Foreign Relations: A New Diplomatic History is a compelling narrative history of American foreign policy from the early settlement of North America to the present. In addition to economic and strategic motives, Walter L. Hixson integrates key cultural factors―including race, gender, and religion―into the story of American foreign policy. He demonstrates how these factors played a vital role in shaping the actions of the United States in world affairs. Beginning with the history of warfare and diplomacy between indigenous peoples and Europeans before the establishment of the United States, this book shows the formative influence of settler colonialism on the country’s later foreign policy and the growth of American empire. Clearly written and comprehensive, the book features: <ul>
<li>Extensive illustrations, with over 100 images and maps</li> <li>Primary documents in each chapter, showcasing the perspectives of historical actors</li> <li>"Interpreting the Past" features that explore how historians’ understanding of events has changed over time</li> <li>Selected bibliographies of key resources for further research in each chapter</li> </ul>
In one concise volume, American Foreign Relations covers the full sweep of American foreign policy from the colonial period to the present day. It is an essential introduction for anyone seeking to understand the history of America’s role in the world.

American Foreign Relations: A New Diplomatic History

Africa

Routledge

Charles A. Lindbergh, Lone Eagle (Library of American Biography)

HANDLIN, Oscar

World

Harpercollins College Div

An American scholar's first-hand story of provincial life in the USSR just before the coup.

Witness to Disintegration: Provincial Life in the Last Year of the USSR

Europe

Univ Pr of New England

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