Stephen Kinzer, the author of ‘Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq’, is an American author whose literature focuses on the United States taking over governments that appear to be a threat. The approach of this book is through the point of view of the United States beginning in 1893 with intentions to tie it with the present time. Stephen Kinzer writes works focused on coups and takeovers done by the United States by backing the factions in nations that helped turn over their respective governments.
The book is organized chronologically, beginning with events in 1893 when Queen Liliuokalani attempted to pass a law stating that only rightful citizens of Hawaii would be allowed to vote. This setting one of the most historic times when an American diplomat would be sent to “help organize the overthrow of the government” (pg.10). This after an event causing much bloodshed after the discovery of multiple islands presumed to belong to Hawaii. Citizens fought against whites to defend their homes, hence why the queen may have been swayed to only allow Hawaiian citizens to make political decisions. The author included an excerpt from President Ulysses S. Grant’s 1876 treaty: “It is agreed, on the part of His Hawaiian Majesty, that so long as this treaty shall remain in force, he will not lease or otherwise dispose of or create any lien upon any port, harbor, or other territory in his dominions, or grant any special privileges or rights of use therein, to any other power, state, or government, nor make any treaty by which any other nation shall obtain the same privileges, relative to the admission of articles free of duty, hereby secured to the United States” (pg.14). This quote, essentially says: America the Great shall remain America the Great. Kinzer seems to believe that by sending these diplomats, the new governments they were able to enforce, would leave matters of state worse than the previous government, faulted or not. It also presumed to be a way for Americans to be a way to grab hold of Hawaii, which would prefer to be out of the grip of its white neighbors, though it did need protection from foreign threats.
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The next issues begin in 1898 after thirty years of rebellion ended with American troops assisting to end the Spanish rule, only to be diminished by its commander General John Brooke and discredited by the United States as being a disbanded military faction.
Another example of the United States using its vast sources which were less beneficial than what would be expected. Amongst the United States wanting to overthrow overbearing governments, it also needed to find countries with less aggressive governments to send the vast goods they were beginning to produce. At the beginning of the 20th century, United States President Roosevelt had the largest fleet of ships built for “fearsome martial power” (pg.76). A show of US strength and capabilities. Though it was only intended to tour around the United States, upon sailing from the dock, the Admiral informed his officers that the tour would actually continue until the fleet had successfully traveled the entire world. This struck fear in the hearts of many Americans, including Senator Eugene Hale of Maine, who attempted to withhold funds from President Roosevelt, who did not see the tour as an act of aggression, but as a way of showing off his new fleet. In fact, when the ships returned, President Roosevelt stated that sending the ships was “the most important service I rendered for peace” (pg. 80). This seemed to work, as so many nations looked to the United States with admiration, and though the soldiers found themselves in small quarrels, it was not due to any aggression perceived from the presents of the fleet.
Kinzer speaks on the mistakes the United States has made in overthrowing governments. One of the most radical being when they kept from becoming free from dictatorship, which resulted in Castro coming into power. Time and time again, the United States used one of its own in an attempt to overtake a government or undermine a president or ruler by influencing the mind of its people. Other countries such as Chile would suffer the same fate as Cuba, with Americans prying at any weakness for its own political gain, but it is important to know the details of the early years, as it set a precedent for what the American government wished to ‘fix’.
Chapter 9 of the book is presumed to be the most interesting and most beneficial to readers as it focuses on who really is at fault for the misguided orders that affected many countries. This chapter is reason enough to believe that this book has many more strengths than weaknesses. From the standpoint of a United States citizen, it should the many courageous attempts that were taken to rid countries of their corrupt or faulty governments, but it also informs the reader that the soldiers, generals, and others alike, were merely chess pieces maneuvered to benefit the president, diplomat, queen, or king of a nation. Kinzer states that many of the events in history may not have happened as they did had it not been for ‘groupthink’, which he believes to be a few unchangeable minds overpowering a room of commanders, inevitably changing history, “an extreme form of intellectual laziness”, as he states (pg.215).
All US citizens need to be aware of the change of power or regime that has happened in our history. More so because the United States fueled so much of that change and inevitably causes political changes in countries that later suffered from it. It is important to know how informants and diplomats are used to encouraging a country to be with or against their government.
Overall, Stephen Kinzer did a brilliant job, showing the strength and superiority the United States showed against all other nations but also bringing to light the effects of that superiority. America the Great did not get there simply by trading goods and offering support to underserved countries, but by striking fear where it could gain respect and distance from other countries and governments who might wish to do the same to them.
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