独立戦争、ルイジアナ買収、米英戦争（1812年）、「マニフェスト・デスティニー」、米墨戦争（1846-48年）、南北戦争、工業化、グローバル化の始まり、米西戦争（1898年）、帝国主義、フィリピン併合、門戸開放政策、第一次世界大戦、孤立主義、第二次世界大戦、冷戦（朝鮮戦争〜ヴェトナム戦争）、イラク戦争、同時多発テロ事件、そしてアフガニスタン戦争まで、世界に広く影響を及ぼしてきた米外交史上重要な出来事を振り返り、エピソードや難局、それに関わった人物に言及しながら、簡潔に分析します。
　　　

• A short narrative of the key events, concepts, and people who have shaped American foreign relations from the founding to the present
• Written by a prize-winning author who has taught in the United States, Canada, and England

  
For better or worse--be it militarily, politically, economically, technologically, or culturally--Americans have had a profound role in shaping the wider world beyond them. The United States has been a savior to some, a curse to others, but either way such views are often based on a caricature of American actions and intentions. American Foreign Relations, then, is a subject of immense global importance that provokes strong emotions and much debate, but often based on deep misunderstanding. 
  
This Very Short Introduction analyzes the key episodes, themes, and individuals in the history of American foreign relations. While discussing diplomacy and the periods of war that have shaped national and international history, it also addresses such topics as industrialization, globalization, imperialism, and immigration. Covering the Revolution through the War on Terror, it examines the connections between domestic politics and foreign affairs, as well as the importance of ideals and values. Sharply written and highly readable, American Foreign Relations offers a clear-eyed narrative of America's role in the world and how it has evolved over time.