Superpowers: A Short History

The Superpowers The Superpowers: a short history is a highly original and important book surveying the development of the USA and Russia (in its tsarist, Soviet and post-Soviet phases) from the pre-twentieth century world of imperial powers to the present. It places the Cold War, from inception to ending, into the wider cultural, economic and political context. The Superpowers: a short history traces the intertwining history of the two powers chronologically. In a fascinating and innovative approach, the book adopts the metaphor of a lifespan to explore this evolutionary relationship. Commencing with the inheritance of the two countries up to 1898, the book continues by looking at their conception to 1921, including the effects of the First World War, gestation to 1945 with their period as allies during the Second World War and their youth examining the onset of the Cold War to 1968. The maturity phase explores the Cold War in the context of the Third World to 1991 and finally the book concludes by discussing the legacy the superpowers have left for the twentyfirst century. The Superpowers: a short history is the first history of the two major participants of the Cold War and their relationship throughout the twentieth century and before. Paul Dukes is Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Aberdeen. His many books include A History of Russia (Macmillan, 3rd edition, 1997) and World Order in History (Routledge, 1996). To Daniel and Ruth The Superpowers A short history Paul Dukes London and NewYork First published 2001 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, NewYork, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2002. © 2001 Paul Dukes All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Dukes, Paul, 1934– The superpowers : a short history / Paul Dukes. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. United States–History. 2. Russia–History. 3. Soviet Union–History. 4. United States–Foreign relations. 5. Russia–Foreign relations. 6. Soviet Union–Foreign relations. 7. Imperialism–History. 8. Cold War. I.Title. E178 .D864 2000 973–dc21 00-055340 ISBN 0-415-23041-1 (hbk) ISBN 0-415-23042-x (pbk) ISBN 0-203-13093-6 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-17997-8 (Glassbook Format) Contents Preface 1 Inheritance: nations and empires, before 1898 Geography and history (before 1492) 2 Early modern colonisation (1492–1776) 7 Democratic revolution (1776–1815) 11 ‘Two great nations’ (1815–56) 15 Two great empires