A 'SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP'? AMERICA, BRITAIN AND THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR
In: International affairs, Band 62, Heft 1, S. 1-20
ISSN: 0020-5850
THIS PAPER ASSESSES WHETHER THERE IS ANY MEANING LEFT TO THE "SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP" THAT WAS DECLARED BETWEEN THE US AND BRITAIN AT THE CLOSE OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR. THE AUTHOR REVIEWS THE LITERATURE WHICH HAS EXPOSED THE FRICTION AND CONTROVERSY BENEATH THE SURFACE OF ANGLO-AMERICAN COOPERATION IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND AFTER. THE AUTHOR QUESTIONS IF THE RELATIONSHIP WAS SPECIAL IN QUALITY FROM OTHER BILATERAL ALLIANCES, AND ALSO CONSIDERS IF IT WAS A SPECIAL IMPORTANCE FOR THE TWO COUNTRIES AND FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER AS A WHOLE. THE AUTHOR FINDS THAT THE RELATIONSHIP DOES HAVE A SPECIAL QUALITY BUT THAT ITS INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE IS PROGRESSIVELY DESCREASING.