Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq

Stephen Kinzer

Feb 2007 · Sold by Macmillan

About this ebook

Stephen Kinzer's Overthrow provides a fast-paced narrative history of the coups, revolutions, and invasions by which the United States has toppled fourteen foreign governments -- not always to its own benefit

"Regime change" did not begin with the administration of George W. Bush, but has been an integral part of U.S. foreign policy for more than one hundred years. Starting with the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893 and continuing through the Spanish-American War and the Cold War and into our own time, the United States has not hesitated to overthrow governments that stood in the way of its political and economic goals. The invasion of Iraq in 2003 is the latest, though perhaps not the last, example of the dangers inherent in these operations.

In Overthrow, Stephen Kinzer tells the stories of the audacious politicians, spies, military commanders, and business executives who took it upon themselves to depose monarchs, presidents, and prime ministers. He also shows that the U.S. government has often pursued these operations without understanding the countries involved; as a result, many of them have had disastrous long-term consequences.

In a compelling and provocative history that takes readers to fourteen countries, including Cuba, Iran, South Vietnam, Chile, and Iraq, Kinzer surveys modern American history from a new and often surprising perspective.

"Detailed, passionate and convincing . . . [with] the pace and grip of a good thriller." -- Anatol Lieven, The New York Times Book Review

Ratings and reviews

Stephen Kinzer's Overthrow is a most timely and accessible history of America's indefensible wars for regime change that have typically backfired, blown back and actually weakened rather than strengthened national security. He should find a way to add an epilogue in time for the national election--covering NATO's needless, disastrous Libya war, the Syria proxy war and the US and EU foreign policy-supported overthrow of Ukraine's elected government in order to encircle and eventually break Russia, (as insane as this aim may seem considering Russia's nuclear arsenal and obvious resistance to being broken). Tragically for the United States, in that regard, Hillary Clinton and her ardent supporters--including State Department anti-diplomats urging a war on Syria that would almost certainly set the stage for war with Russia--will probably ignore Overthrow as it hits too close to home for comfort. But Bernie Sanders supporters--and, this observer suspects, a great many Trump supporters--will certainly be receptive to the book's message. Besides, it's a riveting read. A century of imperialist insanity and foreign policy madness ... Overthrow tells the story like it is. Highly recommended.

Very enlightening. If you arent terribly aware of US handling of foreign powers and have a common sense of 'right' and 'wrong', this book is going to piss you off. Have fun.

A sobering read for those who love America.

About the author

Stephen Kinzer is the author of Reset, Overthrow, All the Shah's Men, Crescent and Star, and numerous other books. An award-winning foreign correspondent, he served as The New York Times's bureau chief in Turkey, Germany, and Nicaragua and as The Boston Globe's Latin America correspondent. He teaches international relations at Boston University and is a frequent contributor to The New York Review of Books and a columnist for The Guardian. He lives in Boston.