American visions of Europe : Franklin D. Roosevelt, George F. Kennan, and Dean G. Acheson

American Visions of Europe sets three learned and elegantly written portraits against the background of the dramatic events and foreign policy controversies of the twentieth century. John Lamberton Harper's careful examination of three men and their policies—Roosevelt's partial internationalism, aiming at the retirement of Europe from world politics while avoiding American entanglement; Kennan's partial isolationism, aspiring to restore Europe's centrality and autonomy through temporary American engagement; and Acheson's accommodating interventionism, establishing the United States as a permanent power in Europe—creates a new and unique look at the "American Century" through its most prominent protagonists. The problem of internecine conflict in Europe dominated the thoughts of U.S. statesmen during the four decades after 1914. This study in the varieties of modern American experience of Europe traces the development of three distinct personal answers to the question of what to do with Europe: Roosevelt's partial internationalism, aiming at the retirement of Europe from world politics while avoiding American entanglement; Kennan's partial isolationism, aspiring to restore Europe's centrality and autonomy through temporary American engagement; and Acheson's accommodating interventionism, establishing the United States as a permanent power in Europe at the behest of European and U.S. interests. Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Part One 1 Franklin Roosevelt, Europe, and American diplomatic culture, 1882—1932 2 The Roosevelt administration and the European Question, 1933-1941 3 The Roosevelt solution, 1941 —1945 Part Two 4 George F. Kennan: the sources of estrangement, 1904-1944 5 Three worlds instead of two: Kennan and Europe, 1944-1950 Part Three 6 Dean Acheson, 1893—1947: a Victorian for all seasons 7 Acheson and Europe, 1949—1953: a statesman’s progress Conclusion Bibliography Index These elegantly written portraits of three American statesmen are set against the background of the dramatic events and foreign policy controversies of the twentieth century. The purpose of the book is to explain how and why they arrived at very different solutions to the problems of Europe, and to show the continuing relevance of their ideas. The problem of internecine conflict in Europe dominated the thoughts of American statesmen during the four decades after 1914. This study in the varieties of modern American experience of Europe traces the development of three distinct personal answers to the question of what to do with Europe. "During that memorable month I basked in the happiness of for once in my life drifting with the tide of a great popular movement.