American Big Business in Britain and Germany: A Comparative History of Two "Special Relationships" in the 20th Century

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While America's relationship with Britain has often been deemed unique, especially during the two world wars when Germany was a common enemy, the American business sector actually had a greater affinity with Germany for most of the twentieth century. American Big Business in Britain and Germany examines the triangular relationship between the Ameri

Reviews

"Even for readers who struggle to find support for some of its claims ... this formidably eclectic report on some neglected themes offers an interesting survey of the changing perspectives of American and European business elites on multiple important issues."--Leslie Hannah, EH.Net "This outstanding comparative study examines a neglected force in the growing influence of the U.S. on 20th-century Europe and its 'Americanization' until about 1957 and Great Britain's debacle in the Suez Crisis... This book is absolutely essential for the most advanced readers in the social sciences."--Choice "Overall, the German-American 'special relationship' was more intensive and successful than the British-American one. Berghahn convincingly examines the ups and downs and the recurrent patterns of the triangular relationship that shaped the economic development of the largest economy in the world and its most important European partners... In this sense, a 'triangular history' is innovative, as it analyzes the American focus from a comparative perspective and thus facilitates a distinct advance in knowledge."--Christian Kleinschmidt "Berghahn's impressive and innovative work of transnational history will form a key point of departure for scholarship on these additional areas of complexity."--Ray Stokes, American Historical Review "Berghahn has provided a book of original scholarship that challenges earlier works concentrating on the 'special relationship' between the United States and Great Britain... Employing a wide range of sources, especially newspapers and the private writings of contemporaries, Berghahn provides a riveting economic-diplomatic history, illustrating quite clearly that power follows the money."--Mark D. Kuss, German Studies Review "Berghahn's study is a significant one, calling attention to a long history, too little studied, of a German-American 'special relationship' based on big business connections and insisting upon the value of broad, qualitative historical narratives in economic history. On both of these scores, this ambitious book succeeds."--Emily S. Rosenberg, Journal of Modern History

Author Bio

Volker R. Berghahn is the Seth Low Emeritus Professor of History at Columbia University. His books include America and the Intellectual Cold Wars in Europe and Europe in the Era of Two World Wars (both Princeton).