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The Incoherent Neighbour

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The Incoherent Neighbour CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by University of Birmingham Research Archive, E-theses Repository THE INCOHERENT NEIGHBOUR: GEORGE C. MARSHALL & US STRATEGY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE, 1947-48 By MARK A. SPOKES A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of American and Canadian Studies School of Historical Studies The University of Birmingham April 2010 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. TTHHEE IINNCCOOHHEERREENNTT NNEEIIGGHHBBOOUURR GEORGE C. MARSHALL & US STRATEGY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE MARK A. SPOKES Dedicated to Mum – for whom I walk this path & Jo – for taking each step with me. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to offer my gratitude firstly to Scott Lucas not only for his invaluable contributions and advice, but also for his patience in helping me through what at times has proven to be a demanding endeavour. I am also thankful to inspirational past teachers; in particular to David Ryan for first igniting my passion for the study of US foreign policy. Thanks are also due to colleagues and students, past and present, who have helped to sharpen and broaden my understanding of the world. I also appreciate the encouragement of friends both near and far. But a special thank you is reserved for Heinrich Groenewald – a generous employer and friend. I could not have finished this thesis however, without the enduring love and support offered by both mine and Jo’s families. I hope I can now reciprocate all that they have given. I am forever indebted to my Mum for the unconditional love she offers. I hope I can make you proud. And to Jo for believing in me even at our lowest ebbs. For this I love you. CONTENTS Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 The Incoherent Neighbour ....................................................................................................... 2 Securing the Peace for a New Era: A Narrative Introduction ............................................... 4 Servant of the American Nation: A Revisionist Critique of George C. Marshall .......... 10 A New Approach to the Western Hemisphere in the Cold War......................................... 12 A New Approach to the Cold War in the Western Hemisphere ........................................ 18 The Incoherent Neighbour: US Strategy in the Western Hemisphere ............................ 23 I. Representations of the Western Hemisphere .......................................... 33 1. Internal Incoherence ........................................................................................................... 34 Hemispheric Security ......................................................................................................................... 35 Hemispheric Solidarity ..................................................................................................................... 39 Hemispheric Order ............................................................................................................................. 44 Strategic Shift ........................................................................................................................................ 50 2. Strategic Incoherence ......................................................................................................... 57 Strategic Priorities .............................................................................................................................. 59 Strategic Frontiers .............................................................................................................................. 64 Strategic Asymmetric Responses .................................................................................................. 72 II. Illusions of Coherence..................................................................................... 85 3. Political Discrimination ..................................................................................................... 86 Hemispheric Discrimination ........................................................................................................... 88 Hemispheric Cooperation ................................................................................................................ 95 Hemispheric Democracy .................................................................................................................. 99 4. Political Intervention ....................................................................................................... 109 Hemispheric Intervention ............................................................................................................. 110 Hemispheric Clashes ....................................................................................................................... 114 Hemispheric Neutrality.................................................................................................................. 125 5. Economic Development ................................................................................................... 136 Economic Reciprocity ..................................................................................................................... 139 Economic Drift ................................................................................................................................... 141 Economic Vacuum ............................................................................................................................ 149 Economic Development ................................................................................................................. 153 6. Economic Reciprocity ....................................................................................................... 168 Economic Interests .......................................................................................................................... 169 Economic Sovereignty .................................................................................................................... 172 Economic Intervention ................................................................................................................... 177 III. (Re)presentations of the Western Hemisphere ................................ 189 7. (Re)presentations of Exceptionalism ......................................................................... 190 Writing and Performing the Western Hemisphere ............................................................. 191 Sacrificing the Western Hemisphere ........................................................................................ 194 (Re)inventing the Western Hemisphere ................................................................................. 201 8. (Re)presentations of Danger ......................................................................................... 210 Imagining Danger in the Western Hemisphere .................................................................... 211 Evoking Reciprocity ........................................................................................................................ 217 Inventing Enemies in the Western Hemisphere .................................................................. 223 (Re)inventing the Myths of Revolution ................................................................................... 227 IV. Costs of Incoherence ................................................................................... 242 9. The Limitations of Incoherent Strategy ..................................................................... 243 Discrimination in Military Cooperation ................................................................................... 244 A Spectator to Social Transformation ...................................................................................... 249 The Failure of US Strategy in the Western Hemisphere .................................................... 253 10. The Failure of Incoherent Strategy ........................................................................... 267 Recognising Reactionaries ............................................................................................................ 269 Deserting Democrats ...................................................................................................................... 277 Imagining Two Americas ............................................................................................................... 282 Conclusions .......................................................................................................... 298 The Incoherent Neighbour .................................................................................................. 299 Reconstructing the Good Neighbour Policy ..........................................................................
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