From sea to shining sea: Commerce, conquest and the collision of British and American empire in the Middle East, 1939--1945

This study examines the interplay of politics, commerce and personality on the course of Twentieth Century empire. Its focus is on the Middle East and the evolution of public and private policies which brought Great Britain and the United States into collision during the Second World War. Each section discusses a question of central concern to imperial powers and those they seek to challenge. These include: (1) How do imperial powers view each other? (2) How does the interaction of politics and personality affect the course of empire? (3) How was the Middle East perceived by British and American statesmen and civil servants? (4) How did commerce serve as an engine of empire in the 1940s? (5) How do defeated empires redefine their imperial objectives? (6) How do threatened empires establish a new equilibrium? (7) How are the aesthetics of empire nurtured and sustained? (8) What constitutes "good" administration? (9) How do empires recognize strategic opportunities?; The purpose of this study is to explore the tendency of rival empires to seek mutual accommodation while at the same time pursuing policies directed at the other's annihilation. The author proposes the thesis that the momentum generated by imperial expansion mitigates against any two national contestants reaching a compromise end to their hostilities. This study starts from the premise that empires are the product of disingenuous policies and unforseen opportunities which ultimately coalesce around a loose theme of international mission.; The study traces the evolution of British and American policies toward the Middle East through the war period. Special emphasis is given to the commercial activities of both nations and the use of business as a primary tool of imperial conquest.