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A review by ethanhedman
How to Hide an Empire by Daniel Immerwahr
3.0
Would be 3.5 stars. A genuinely worthwhile book with engaging language, a solid overall theory and many compelling vignettes.
The most glaring shortcoming occurs in the last 100 pages in the post-world war 2 world. This part of the text glosses over the juxtaposed ideologies of east and west and fails to note how the nature of conflict changed during Vietnam, instead placing this change (a conflict of “dots” to match an empire of “dots”) after the gulf war. In my opinion the author mischaracterizes the Vietnam war as well as other conflicts/coups during the Cold War to shape their theory. The theory is strongest pre-ww2 (Puerto Rico, Philippines, etc.)
The conclusion wrapping the argument up feels rushed.
The most glaring shortcoming occurs in the last 100 pages in the post-world war 2 world. This part of the text glosses over the juxtaposed ideologies of east and west and fails to note how the nature of conflict changed during Vietnam, instead placing this change (a conflict of “dots” to match an empire of “dots”) after the gulf war. In my opinion the author mischaracterizes the Vietnam war as well as other conflicts/coups during the Cold War to shape their theory. The theory is strongest pre-ww2 (Puerto Rico, Philippines, etc.)
The conclusion wrapping the argument up feels rushed.