Wars of Revelation

As American foreign policy experts anticipate a new Cold War with China, there is no better time to reflect on the evolution of the United States' grand strategy during its decades-long contest with Russia. Lissner shows that military interventions in Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq were crucibles for American foreign policy in the latter half of the 20th century, testing strategic axioms on the battlefield and compelling adjustments to Washington's conception of its global role. In each case, these wars of revelation provided searing insights into the capabilities and intentions of America's most dangerous international adversaries - as well as the potential and limits of its own national power. By centering her narrative of post-World War II American foreign relations on these pivotal episodes, Lissner provides an historically rich and theoretically compelling narrative that will interest readers keen to understand the past, present, and future of US grand strategy.