Crisis and Crossfire: The United States and the Middle East Since 1945

by Peter L. Hahn

Overview

Hahn (history, Ohio State U.) summarizes US foreign policy in the Middle East from the close of World War II to the present day. He chronologically describes the genesis of deepening US involvement in the context of the Cold War, later focusing on themes of Arab and Israeli nationalism, US experiences with specific nationalist leaders, US efforts to steer or undermine nationalist movements in conservative pro-Western directions that would serve US interests, and attempts to maintain access to strategic interests in the region such as oil and military bases. US involvement in the Arab-Israeli conflict and Washington's efforts on behalf of various "peace processes" are also a major theme. Distributed in the US by Books International. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640125773
Publisher:	Potomac Books
Publication date:	04/20/2025
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	340
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Peter L. Hahn is a professor of history at Ohio State University and executive director of the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations. His other books include Caught in the Middle East: U.S. Policy Toward the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1945-61, and The United States, Great Britain, and Egypt, 1945-1956: Strategy and Diplomacy in the Early Cold War. He lives near Columbus, Ohio.

Editorial Reviews

"Few historians have the background that Peter Hahn brings to this project. A well-respected author of major monographs on American diplomacy in the Middle East, Hahn brings years of archival work to bear on this cogent overview of U.S. policies in the area during the decades after World War II. The result is a well-grounded survey that focuses on the strategic dimension of American policy from the Truman Doctrine to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. This book is perfect for use in the classroom and for educated readers who need an introduction to this important and complex subject."—Michael J. Hogan, provost and F. Wendell Miller Professor of History, University of Iowa

"Crisis and Crossfire is a balanced and measured tour through the U.S. encounter with the Middle East since 1945. A survey with a point of view, it’s interpretive without being polemical. And it’s made even more valuable through the inclusion of a thoughtfully selected collection of relevant primary-source documents. In brief, Crisis and Crossfire is engaging from start to finish and simply perfect for classroom use at the college level."—Mary Ann Heiss, associate professor of history, Kent State University, and author of Empire and Nationhoode: The United States, Great Britain, and Iranian Oil, 1950-1954

"Peter Hahn offers a balanced, accessible, and economical survey of American involvement in the Middle East since World War II. . . . [He] provides an informative background for students of foreign policy, the newcomer to the region, and scholars in search of a quick reference. . . . Crisis and Crossfire succeeds in weaving a thorough, compelling, and concise narrative of the causes and outcomes of U.S. policy in the Middle East over the past sixty years."—Middle East Journal

From the Publisher