Relationships between the USA and the UK

Thèmes abordés

USA, UK, relationships UK/USA

Résumé du document

The particular and strong links between the USA and the United Kingdom emerged between 1607 and 1733 with the establishment of 13 colonies by the Empire of Great Britain on the Atlantic Coast of North America. Following the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776, and a war against the UK (1775-1783), the colonies become independent and formed the USA as we know it today. Then, a century later, in 1870, the USA avenged itself and succeeded in being more economically powerful than the UK. How does one define Great Britain and the USA's special relationship? We will initially examine the historical background, and then a more recent and ambivalent one during which we notice that some tensions expose the limitations of this relationship.

Extraits

[...] How can Great Britain and the USA's special relationship be defined ? We are going to study the particular historical background, and then a more recent and ambivalent one. Eventually, we will notice that some tensions intend to prove there are limits to this relationship. A particular historical background The United Kingdom‘s situation in the XIXe century Until the end of the XIX century, Great Britain Empire is, thanks to its numerous colonies in Africa and in India, the most powerful nation worldwide. [...]

[...] This decision has a huge impact on the British population‘s opinion because it contributes to the creation of a gap between the American dream and the reality. The UK comes more and more into consciousness that it has idealized its ally. The UK, unlike the USA, is also able to convey some important values. Their recent disagreements also refer to the fact the USA doesn't want to relax laws regarding technologies exportations, that is to say, it refuses to untax commodities. [...]

[...] Relationships between the USA and the UK We are presented with two documents. The first one is a cartoon, entitled you are not with us, you are against appeared in the Daily Telegraph, a newspaper which belongs to the quality press, on 28th June 2002. It was drawn by Nicholas Garland and refers to the USA foreign policy, regarding its Allies. The second document is a exerpt of a book, entitled the US.- UK Special Relationship in Historical Context : Lessons of the past, written by Ray Raymond and edited by Jeffrey D. [...]

[...] To sum up, we can say that we saw thanks to the historical and recent background, the real situation and relationships which bind the UK and the USA. Then, thanks to the third part, we notice these tensions increase and that the UK wants to take its independence towards the USA. Yet, nowadays, they have asymmetric relationships which lead to an inferior and a superior position. Eventually, we can't say if the UK will choose to be closer to the European Union or follow its old ally: the USA. [...]

[...] These special relationships are evoked for the first time by W. Churchill, during his speech on the iron curtain. It unquestionably is an emblematic figure that contributes to bring close the two nations: “American public as no other British leader since Churchill. The Cold War During the Cold War, the USA shows its supremacy by standing up to the USSR and their communist values. The world is split into two opposing blocks, the Western and Eastern one. The Western block is influenced by the American‘s values, culture, way of life, liberalism and anti-communist policy. [...]