Cold War in the desert : Britain, the United States, and the Italian colonies, 1945-52

Annotation The question of the Italian colonies played an important part in the breakdown of Allied cooperation after the Second World War. Britain and the United States were closely involved in this question, yet their respective roles have not received the detailed historical attention which they merit. Based on extensive research in British and American archives, this book will seek to analyse British and US policy on this question within its Cold War context During the Kennedy years, American policy-makers considered French President, Charles de Gaulle, an obstruction within the Atlantic Alliance. Summoning a wide range of French and American archival sources as well as British and German materials, this book demonstrates that the structure and dynamics of the Franco-American relationship during this period were embedded in complex multilateral relationships within the Western Alliance. The book argues that differences between France and the United States during the early 1960s were the outcome of a series of mutually reinforcing security and economic problems, driven by domestic agendas, and shaped by differing conceptions about the containment of the Soviet Union and Germany. Dr. Mahan provides a subtle synthesis and definitive analysis of the key issues and events that generated conflict between Kennedy and de Gaulle: the Berlin crisis, British membership in the European Economic Community, a balance-of-payments disputes and nuclear sharing with NATO This analysis of US policy toward Indonesian nationalism argues that Truman's support for independence was based on his Cold War priorities and not principled backing for self-determination. It reveals how Eisenhower's New Look led to a disastrous CIA-backed intervention in 1957-58 and propelled Indonesia toward the Soviet bloc. Exposing the extent of Australian influence on US policy, this account reveals how the personal prejudices of Eisenhower and John Foster Dulles undermined the notion of rational policymaking. Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction....Pages 1-5 The Soviet and American Initiatives, 1945....Pages 6-35 Byrnes, Bevin and the Temporary Settlement, 1946....Pages 36-68 Anglo-American Cooperation on Cyrenaica, 1946–7....Pages 69-92 The Failure of the Four Powers, 1947–8....Pages 93-109 The UN Settlement, 1948–9....Pages 110-131 Implementing the UN Resolutions, 1949–52....Pages 132-163 Conclusion....Pages 164-172 Back Matter....Pages 173-207 The question of the Italian colonies played an important part in the breakdown of Allied cooperation after the Second World War. Britain and the United States were closely involved in this question, yet their respective roles have not received the detailed historical attention which they merit. Based on extensive research in British and American archives, this book will analyze British and US policy on this question within its Cold War context.