US Use of Force since World War II

Within five years of the end of World War II the United States was locked in the Cold War. With the Cold War's end around 1989, many believed the U.S.-led democratic, free-market model had triumphed, expecting the Soviet Union, China, and authoritarian states to follow suit. The Bush and Clinton administrations envisioned a "New World Order" and pursued policies to expand democracy and free markets. The U.S. military, its size reduced by a third, was used to address emerging threats, leading to increased military activity. This course explores why the U.S. undertook these operations, their outcomes, and lessons for the