MỸ TRỞ THÀNH SIÊU CƯỜNG SỐ 1 NHƯ THẾ NÀO

Today, the United States remains the most powerful country in human history. The United States alone has more than 750 military bases in at least 80 countries around the globe. In 2022 alone, the United States accounted for as much as 39% of global military spending. Nearly three times the amount spent by the second-largest spender, China, and ten times the amount spent by the third-largest spender, Russia. Even the United States alone could match the combined strength of the next ten countries. It is also much larger than the combined military spending of the other 144 countries in the world. The $363 billion discrepancy is enough to cover the cost of solar energy for every household in the United States for 10 years. Enough to build 43 million units of public housing, while only about 38 million people are currently displaced and homeless. Following the conflicts and wars of the post-September 11 period, the United States became the leader of a vast global system. open a new era of unprecedented prosperity and peace. Of course, that's just for the United States; as for the rest of the world, I'm not sure. How was it possible that, within just 200 years, the United States transformed from a colony into the world's number one superpower? The mightiest empire of all time from the ancient era. To understand this, let us go back to the starting point of everything, When the United States is not a global superpower in any sense whatsoever. On July 4, 1776, the war for independence of the British colonies in North America achieved victory. The colonies declared independence and became the United States of America. For the first 70 years of its existence, America continuously expanded both in territory and influence across North America through various means. from peace like fertile land to military intervention, deploying troops for occupation. Finally, America reached the Pacific Ocean, thanks to expansionism. a wave driven by the mass slaughter of indigenous Native Americans, The first masters of the heavy continent. Yet at this moment, Americans remain deeply divided about their own country. Should we expand beyond the Pacific and the Indian Oceans? After the Civil War ended in 1865, the debate grew increasingly intense. At that time, some leaders, including Secretary of State William Seward of the Post-Civil War era Consider that the United States needs to promote itself to become a global power. Seward succeeded in promoting Russia's Alaska plan. Yet his efforts regarding the Greenland region of Denmark and Iceland as well as the merger of territories in the Caribbean region, which were rejected by Congress. The reason is that some other Americans, including many who are currently occupying the Capitol Hill, They are people with strong anti-imperialist orientations. They are concerned that the United States will be drawn into global politics. as well as having to absorb populations from lower social strata in the dual economy. Yet by the end of the 1800s, A certain event has occurred that has overturned the debate on American imperialism. It was the Industrial Revolution, a period of extraordinary economic growth. And as the economy expanded, the United States needed a stronger state. and a more centralized bureaucratic apparatus to manage that economy. Power is concentrated in the federal government, thanks to which expansionist presidents such as William McKinley encountered fewer obstacles in unilaterally promoting the expansion of American influence abroad. The incident occurred in the year 1898. When McKinley led the country into war with Spain to争夺 Cuba, despite the fierce opposition from the opposition faction. The United States, rising power, easily defeated the decaying Spanish Empire. to obtain Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Over the next two years, the United States continued to annex the Kingdom of Hawaii, Wake Island, and American Samoa. In the coming years, the United States will control the entire Panama Canal zone. and deployed troops to occupy the Commonwealth of Dominica. Just like buying the U.S. Virgin Islands. You see, the process of swiftly seizing these distant territories is like a lightning strike. turned the United States on the map into a truly global power. During this period, the United States also began to leverage its influence. to protect increasingly growing commercial and military interests abroad by establishing pro-American regimes in places such as Nicaragua and played a significant role in international diplomacy concerning the presence of the West in China. We have reached the year 1914, the First World War broke out And it has precisely demonstrated the extent of America's global influence. U.S. intervention was not only a crucial factor in bringing the war to an end but President Wilson attended the Paris Peace Conference to end the war and establish the terms of peace. Wilson led the most ambitious foreign policy initiative the United States had seen at the time. An international organization named the League of Nations was established with the purpose of promoting peace and cooperation worldwide. That is precisely an effort to reshape the global political landscape. And it reveals just how immense America's foreign policy ambitions have been all along. However, on the continent, isolationism still exerts considerable influence. The Congress blocked U.S. entry into the League of Nations, extinguishing Wilson's ambition. Throughout the Great Depression and the rise of Hitler, The United States focused almost exclusively on regional matters and did not intervene in Europe. Yet in the end, the United States' increasingly growing ties abroad It also made it impossible for the U.S. to stay out of the affair anymore. In East Asia, the rising Japanese empire poses a direct threat to sovereignty. and the U.S. military is stationed on the Paracel Islands. The two sides had been clashing fiercely, reaching a climax in the attack on Pearl Harbor. it officially brought the United States into World War II. And this very conflict will permanently alter America's presence around the globe. Please note that the United States is the only superpower that did not suffer economic devastation during the war. and is the only country equipped with nuclear weapons. Thanks to this, the U.S. had a significant advantage in setting the terms of peace. And of course, the United States did not miss the opportunity. The most famous example is the establishment of the United Nations. The Charter of the United Nations established an international legal system. War and conquest, such as those carried out by Nazi Germany and Japan. The United Nations is also a forum for the international community to discuss and resolve disputes. Although it was the most widespread organization in the postwar era, the United Nations was not the only organization. 730 delegates from 44 allied nations gathered on a small tropical resort island. in New Hampshire to establish a global financial system It is possible to prevent a future major depression. As a result, the so-called Bretton Woods Agreement was established. but later became the living mist of the global financial system. That is precisely the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. By creating these organizations, the United States has become the maker of the rules for every issue in the world. Now imagine in a classroom, everyone must play according to the teacher's rules. You shouldn't fight with others, right? Everyone should be happy, shouldn't they? However, the second-largest power at the time, the Soviet Union, was not particularly pleased. The second stage brought the two opposing ideological systems closer together, turning them into allies. fighting a common enemy. Yet the common enemy no longer exists. The U.S.认为 the Soviet Union's arrogance in Eastern Europe and other regions It is a direct threat to the ambition of building a U.S.-style free world. Thus, the U.S. began forming what is called North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO a military alliance to prevent Russia from expanding its territory in Europe. Around the world, the U.S. also implements a strategy of containment. in order to prevent the spread of communist influence and the Soviet Union. That means the U.S. must spread its influence everywhere, at all times. Thus, instead of dissolving the enormous military machine created to serve World War II, America continues to burn an increasing amount of fuel. As a result, the United States was drawn into unimaginable alliances with countries such as Saudi Arabia, Israel, South Korea—turn these countries into a fortress wall against communism. The second outcome is that the United States began intervening, usually secretly. to a large number of other countries to contain the influence of the Soviet Union. For example, establishing a pro-American government in Iran, During the Cold War, the United States intervened in hundreds of disputes around the world. Create a network that intricately weaves together the relationships of friends and enemies across every corner of the globe. Where have we gotten to, anyway? Ah, in 1989, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, America could have withdrawn from this web. Yet no, both President George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton decided that, for the benefit of the United States and of all humanity The United States, and now the world's sole superpower, must continue to play the role of the international policeman. NATO, originally a tool with the sole purpose of opposing the Soviet Union, continues to exist. even expanding further. The U.S. continues to protect figures such as Israel, Japan, and South Korea. placed these regions of the countries under U.S. influence in a delicate balance that could shift at any moment. The alliance system and global organizations originally established to maintain peace During the Cold War, it became permanent. No American leader since the Cold War Seriously call for dissolving this system. Except, yes, except for President Donald Trump. Mr. Trump has continuously accused allies of owing the U.S. money for protection. and skepticism about the value of free trade. That puts NATO and the World Trade Organization Vietnam in question. This stands in sharp contrast to the prevailing consensus dominating U.S. foreign policy. since 1945 Yet what's interesting is that it somehow feels close to isolationism. It was once dominant in the United States. But you know what happened to Mr. Trump, don't you? Perhaps in the future, the United States will continue to believe that it needs to lead the world. for the benefit of the United States and all humanity.