Constructing a Post-War Order: The Rise of US Hegemony and the Origins of the Cold War

Description

Some years ago, I heard the great Japanese diplomatic historian Akira Iriye tell a Melbourne audience that the historiography of the Soviet-American Cold War rivalry had pretty much been tapped out, and that, in future, scholars would do well to turn their attention to the larger, more important issue of how the United States “reconnected” to globalization at the end of World War II. While there were not many takers on that night, clearly, British historian Andrew Baker must have heard the call, as his book fairly fits the bill. The years 1942 to 1946, according to Baker, saw the acceleration of World War II, its conclusions, and the construction of a postwar order that culminated in the Cold War. From here, Baker examines the expansion of U.S. political and economic power during this period, and the extent to which smaller states... Cover Contents Preface List of Illustrations Abbreviations Introduction Revisionism: a Brief Introduction The British Commonwealth and Post-War Order The Organisation of This Study 1. The Imperial World Imperial Systems Commonwealth Good Neighbours Anglo-American Cooperation Aviation and the Evolving Idea of World Order The Messy Business of Integration 2. The Trouble with American Power Aviation and Regionalism The Canadian Analysis of American Power The Canadian Conundrum Towards a Canadian Policy Australia, New Zealand and the Big Two Redefining Imperial Frontiers Regional Solutions Smuts and Britain Smuts and Africa Greater South Africa and Aviation 3. Planning for Post-War Order Organising the Peace: the New Global Technocracy The Peculiar Challenge of the Soviet Union Post-Hostilities Planning in Britain Canada Australia New Zealand South Africa 4. Visions of Post-War Order Britain and the 'Four Power' Plan The Military Implications of a General Settlement British Policy: Core Questions South Africa: Hinge of the Commonwealth? Canada: Squaring the Quartersphere America and the Post-War Settlement The General Settlement and Canadian Security Defending Australia Defining Australia Aspirations Australia and Collective Security New Zealand Post-War Concerns The Canberra Conference and After New Zealand and Collective Security 5. The British Commonwealth in World Affairs Britain and the Dominions Diplomatic Drift British Preparations The Dominion Premiers' Meeting Smuts and Atomic Diplomacy Dumbarton Oaks Canadian Lobbying The Canadian Response The Australian Response New Zealand The Wellington Conference 6. Functional Negotiations Functional Convergence in Planning for Post-War Aviation The Commonwealth between Britain and America The Chicago Conference Towards Multilateralism The London Technical Talks The Council Broad Commonwealth Agreement 7. The Great Powers and Collective Security Yalta The San Francisco Conference The Preamble Smuts' Shrinking Circle The Veto The Security Council The General Assembly Trusteeship Power and the New International Society 8. Failure The London Preparatory Commission The Executive Committee The Preparatory Commission The General Assembly: 10 January to 15 February, 1946 Council Membership and Elections Trusteeship Trends in the General Assembly The General Assembly: 23 October to 17 December, 1946 The Decline of Australian Foreign Policy The Defeat of Smuts: Southwest Africa The Commonwealth and the Revolt against the West 9. Regional Integration, Imperial Disintegration The Intractable Problems of Post-War Security The Post-War Disposition of Territory: the South Pacific The Post-War Disposition of Territory: the Italian Colonies The 1946 Dominion Premiers' Meeting The Commonwealth and Military Liaison The Commonwealth and Scientific Liaison Pacific Bases The Italian Colonies The Peace Treaties Colonial Retreat Canada and Commonwealth Defence Towards the Brussels Pact Conclusion Notes on the Political Economy of Post-War Order Notes Bibliography Index