During the Cold War Period, To What Extent is America an Empire?

Résumé du document

As we ponder over whether America was an empire during the post World War II period or not, we must first and foremost, try to define the notion of empire. This will help us analyze the situation of America at that time. "Imperialism and thus the notion of empire resembles Darwinism, in that many use the term but few can say what it really means", said Patrick Wolfe in the American Historical Review.
The Cambridge Online dictionary, gives us several meanings for empire, or imperialism. An empire is "a group of countries ruled by a single person, government or country". Imperialism is then defined as "a system in which a country rules other countries, sometimes having used force to obtain power over them", or "when one country has a lot of power or influence over others, especially in political and economic matters". The Greek, Roman and British Empires, all embody these definitions in their own way. The Greek and Roman empires had control of a wide territory in the entire world as well.

Extraits

[...] This will be called the Truman Doctrine, or policy of containment of the communist wave in Western Europe. Fighting communism with economic means and firmness despite violence will be the new spearhead of the Americans. An illustration of this new way of acting remains in the example of the airlift that the United States will put in place to supply western Berlin for a year, forcing the Soviets to end the blockade. It is because the United States has the power, and because it has the opportunity to intervene that it will. [...]

[...] In addition, the young nations, mostly situated on the American continent, need in order to survive to sell their raw materials to the United-States and buy the manufactured products that they cannot produce themselves, and that Europe can no longer provide them. For example, in of Argentina's imports come from the United States, when they represented 17% in 1938. In Venezuela of the oil product is in the hands of American firms. This economic dependence towards the United States brought the American ambassadors to intervene in the countries affairs, protecting the friendly government and overthrowing those that show hostility. This economic hegemony also leads to the establishment of military agreements. [...]

[...] According to these three examples, can America be considered as an Empire after WWII and during the Cold War? Does it embody all the characteristics of an empire such as it has been defined higher? I will first show that the United States is an economic and cultural power that has some influence outside its frontiers, then that by taking the lead of the “free world”, America has managed to build a strong political power, and a great influence in international relations. I. [...]

[...] During the Cold War Period, To What Extent is America an Empire? When wondering whether America was an empire during the post WWII period, we must first and foremost, try to define the notion of empire. Then we will be able to analyze the situation of America at this time. “Imperialism and thus the notion of empire resembles Darwinism, in that many use the term but few can say what it really means” said Patrick Wolfe in the American Historical Review. [...]

[...] The term describes a period of relative peace in the western world since the end of WWII. It also includes the democratic peace theory, idea that has circulated since Kant in his essay Perpetual Peace. It states that spreading democracy enables to avoid future wars. Indeed, democracies would not make war to each other. The American dominance on the economic and political fields also illustrates the concept of “soft power” introduced in 1990 by S. Nye in Bound to lead: the changing nature of American Power. [...]