Tears, Fire, and Blood : The United States and the Decolonization of Africa

In the mid-twentieth century, decolonization fundamentally changed foreign relations as it converged with Black and Brown freedom movements, the establishment of the United Nations and NATO, an exploding Cold War, and a burgeoning world human rights movement. Dramatic events swept through Africa at a furious pace, with fifty nations gaining independence in roughly fifty years, as the struggle against colonial rule fundamentally reshaped the world and the lives of the majority of the world's population. Meanwhile, the United States emerged as the most powerful and influential nation in the world, with the ability--politically, economically, militarily, and morally--to help or hinder the transformation of the African continent. Tears, Fire, and Blood offers a sweeping history of how the United States responded to decolonization in Africa. James H. Meriwether explores how Washington, grappling with national security interests and racial prejudices, veered between strengthening African nationalist movements seeking majority rule and independence and bolstering anticommunist European allies seeking to maintain white rule. Events in Africa helped propel the Black freedom struggle around the world and ultimately forced the United States to confront its support for national ideals abroad as it fought over how to achieve equality at home. In the mid-twentieth century, the struggle against colonial rule fundamentally reshaped the world and the lives of the majority of the world's population. Decolonization, Black and Brown freedom movements, the establishment of the United Nations and NATO, an exploding Cold War, a burgeoning world human rights movement, all became part of the dramatic events that swept through Africa at a furious pace, with fifty nations gaining independence in roughly fifty years. Meanwhile, the United States emerged as the most powerful and influential nation in the world, with the ability—politically, economically, militarily—and principles to help or hinder the transformation of the African continent. Tears, Fire, and Blood offers a sweeping history of how the United States responded to decolonization in Africa. James H. Meriwether explores how Washington, grappling with national security interests and racial prejudices, veered between strengthening African nationalist movements seeking majority rule and independence and bolstering anticommunist European allies seeking to maintain white rule. Events in Africa helped propel the Black freedom struggle around the world and ultimately forced the United States to confront its support for national ideals abroad as it fought over how to achieve equality at home. In the mid-twentieth century, the struggle against colonial rule fundamentally reshaped the world and the lives of the majority of the world's population. Decolonization, Black and Brown freedom movements, the establishment of the United Nations and NATO, an exploding Cold War, a burgeoning world human rights movement, all became part of the dramatic events that swept through Africa at a furious pace, with fifty nations gaining independence in roughly fifty years. Meanwhile, the United States emerged as the most powerful and influential nation in the world, with the ability, politically, economically, militarily, and principles to help or hinder the transformation of the African continent. Tears, Fire, and Blood offers a sweeping history of how the United States responded to decolonization in Africa. James H. Meriwether explores how Washington, grappling with national security interests and racial prejudices, veered between strengthening African nationalist movements seeking majority rule and independence and bolstering anticommunist European allies seeking to maintain white rule. Events in Africa helped propel the Black freedom struggle around the world and ultimately forced the United States to confront its support for national ideals abroad as it fought over how to achieve equality at home "In Tears, Fire, and Blood, James Meriwether offers a sweeping history of how the United States responded to decolonization in Africa. The new political terrain of the twentieth century drew out national and ideological dilemmas in the U.S.: democratic principles of self-determination ran up against fears of potential Communist gains, and ideals of one person/one vote crashed against doubts about weakening western alliances and anticommunist partners. A decolonizing Africa helped propel the black freedom struggle around the world, forcing the U.S. to confront the realities of civil rights abroad as it fought over how to achieve equality at home. Meriwether demonstrates that Washington veered between strengthening African nationalist movements seeking majority rule and independence and bolstering anticommunist European allies seeking to maintain white rule. Ultimately, the U.S. supported European allies and white minority rule, choosing national security interests and racial prejudices over anticolonialism"-- Provided by publisher No Premature Independence, 1941-1951 -- No Stopping the Torrent, 1952-1960 -- Years of Africa, 1960-1966 -- The White Redoubt, 1965-1974 -- Rapid, Just, and African Solutions, 1974-1980 -- Majority Rule, 1980-1994