Americanizing Africanization | The Congo Crisis, 1960-1967

This dissertation, by William T. Mountz, seeks to provide a clear and concise account of U.S. intervention in the Congo, explaining the decisions made by U.S. policymakers and their Congolese counterparts. Like traditional diplomatic histories, it is concerned with the nature and effects of U.S. power. It argues that U.S. intervention in the Congo ended in tragedy (American support for a right-wing dictator) not only because of a commitment to contain the communist threat, but also because of a commitment to a liberal ideology, one devoted to remaking the world in its own image.