The American Continents

Abstract

To complete our survey of the world of the new half century, it is necessary to glance briefly at the two con tinents of the Western Hemisphere — North and South America. Here lies one of the two ‘super-powers’ of the postwar era, the leader of the Western system of alliances whose domestic politics are a matter of close concern for the whole of the democratic world, for from them emerges the President of the United States, a man who carries a tremendous load of responsibility for the effectiveness of Western policies. In these two continents is also to be found one of the trouble-points in the cold war — Castro’s Cuba — and in the tangle of relationships round Cuba is also involved the other main historical force in the post-war period — nationalism and the revulsion from colonialism.