IN the aftermath of World War II, the international casualty list read like a global roll call. Europe was an economic ruin; Russia was still reeling; Japan was shattered; China and Southeast Asia were torn by revolution. By comparison, the U.S. seemed a privileged party indeed. It boasted 40% of the world's income and a burgeoning economy. It was as rich as ever in natural resources, its population was growing, and it had an enormous output of food. It also had incredible military muscle; it possessed the world's only nuclear weapons. At the end...
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