The result is a piece of work which is clear, well-organised, fluently written, and careful and judicious in its judgements and appraisals. The author sets out his aims in the introduction. While Dumbrell concedes that the ending of the Cold War had many causes, he argues convincingly that it was circumstances within Soviet Russia which were the most significant. He argues that, despite several recent Presidents arguing to the contrary, the United States is still affected by the Vietnam legacy even during the Clinton years. The author appears cautiously to accept the fact of America's relative economic decline which has affected the foreign policy of the United States.
Much attention is directed to the processes by which foreign policy has been defined and prosecuted.
There is little in this book that is startlingly original in interpretation, but there is a good deal to admire in the clarity and control with which complex issues are described and discussed. This volume would provide an excellent introduction to recent American foreign policy for 'A'-level, Access, and undergraduate students. Teachers of these courses would also profit from reading it. The detailed endnotes also provide useful pointers for further reading.