The American Age: United States Foreign Policy at Home and Abroad

Along with the usual but ever more sincere thanks to Sandra, Scott, and Suzanne LaFeber for making the past years and the writing of this book worthwhile, I am deeply indebted to Ed Barber of W. W. Norton & Company and Gerry McCauley for the encouragement that made the book possible. The growing length of the manuscript was unforeseen, but not Ed Barber's patience, sound advice, and humor, and they made the enterprise bearable. I am also indebted to Linda Puckette and Carol Flechner of Norton for special help in preparing the manuscript for publication, and to indexer Anne Eberle.

Lloyd Gardner of Rutgers University critiqued the entire manuscript and continues to set the example as both a committed scholar and friend. Robert Divine of the University of Texas also read all the pages, as he has of much else I have drafted, and his friendship has been especially important during the past several years. The historical profession lost what it cannot afford to lose when R. H. Miller left it to join Congressman Ron Dellums's staff. Max Miller not only read all of this book, but conducted a private four-year seminar by providing detailed comments and volumes of research materials. I am much indebted to Diane Clemens of the University of California and William Widenor of the University of Illnois, both of whom gave large sections of the manuscript close and most helpful readings. Milton Leitenberg, whether in Sweden or Washington, provided important studies of his own and others on East-West relations. Despite the Carter-Reagan attempts to close off documents from scholars, there remain some to whom we owe a huge debt for their professionalism and practicing belief that a democracy can survive only when the government's actions can be examined. These persons include David Langbart of the National