In the wake of World War II, U.S. policy makers recognized that economically, militarily, and socially, the world had become increasingly interdependent. The U.S. needed what the underdeveloped world had to offer--markets, resources, strategic positions--and those nations desperately needed U.S. technology, military support, democratic ideals of freedom and justice.

By the mid-1950s, however, the reality of U.S. policy was seen to have taken a very different direction: promises of democracy, peace, and economic development were unfulfilled. In this original work, the author Krenn examines the development of the ideas behind the theory of interdependent economic, political, and military relations with the nations of Central America; how did policy makers define interdependence and what did they want it to accomplish? How did they go about trying to accomplish their goals, and why were the high ideals behind interdependence eroded and compromised?.