Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy ─ A Diplomatic History

This two-volume reference contains 40 essays, offering a broad-based reference to American power--its rise and current global status. The aim is to present a balanced interpretive overview of each topic based on current scholarship. After an introduction to the history and role of American foreign relations, coverage encompasses various aspects of the development and growth of American foreign policy, the international stage, diplomacy and foreign policy between the wars, the early Cold War era, the end of the Cold War, new thresholds of diplomacy, and dilemmas in the post- 9/11 world. The uniform structuring of the essays helps make the contents accessible to a wide readership that includes the general public and students high school level and above. Each essay contains an analytical narrative, an important primary source, a brief biography of a leading figure, a summary of key concepts, and a critical examination of an important event or turning point. Appended material includes a handbook of diplomatic terms, events, and organizations; acronyms and initialisms; and listings of top government officials and their terms of service. The two editors are affiliated as follows: Robert J. McMahon (history, The Ohio State U.) and Thomas W. Zeiler (history and international affairs, U. of Colorado at Boulder). CQ Press is an imprint of SAGE Publications. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)