How to Use American Hegemony
For most of the Cold War, American leaders used our hegemony with remarkable
effectiveness. The Marshall Plan is merely one of many examples. Stabilizing Northeast
Asia during and after the Korean War is another.
Less well remembered is bringing West Germany into NATO against strong
French resistance. Once the Soviet Union made unambiguous its intent not to support
restoration of a united Germany, the United States began pushing for the reconstruction
of Germany and a Western security system. France, having engaged Britain in the