American Exceptionalism and the Legacy of Vietnam

American Exceptionalism and the Legacy of Vietnam examines the influence of the belief in American exceptionalism on the history of U.S. foreign policy since the Vietnam War. Trevor B. McCrisken analyzes attempts by each post-Vietnam U.S. administration to revive the popular belief in exceptionalism both rhetorically and by pursuing foreign policy supposedly grounded in traditional American principles. He argues that exceptionalism consistently provided the framework for foreign policy discourse but that the conduct of foreign affairs was limited by the Vietnam syndrome.

Autorentext
TREVOR B. MCCRISKEN is Lecturer in American Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford, UK. He is also a Research Fellow at the Rothermere American Institute, Oxford.

Inhalt
Acknowledgements American Exceptionalism: An Introduction The End of American Exceptionalism? The Cold War and Vietnam Gerald Ford and the Time for Healing Jimmy Carter - Morality and the Crisis of Confidence Ronald Reagan - 'America is Back' George Bush - the 'Vision Thing' and the New World Order Bill Clinton and the 'Indispensable Nation' Conclusions: American Exceptionalism and the Legacy of Vietnam Notes Select Bibliography Index