The Monroe Doctrine, Its Modern Significance

Like other volumes in the Borzoi series of paperbacks on Latin America this is an anthology of essays held together by a historical introduction, brief prefaces to each essay, and a note on sources. The essays begin in the period of Roque Saenz Peña and Elihu Root and end with an extract from the United States Senate debate of 1962 on the Cuban crisis and an analysis of Soviet views on the Monroe Doctrine. Specialists may raise eyebrows at a few of Professor Dozer’s introductory statements, but his essay gives a concise summary of the Doctrine’s vicissitudes and is particularly useful for the recent period. Dozer has carefully balanced his choice of excerpts between United States and Latin American writers and has added a Canadian, a Japanese, and other extra-American views for cosmopolitan flavor. His volume would make admirable supplementary reading for courses in American diplomatic history or hemispheric affairs but for one thing—its price. In comparison with other paperbacks of this size, binding, and type face the Borzoi series does not give very good value for the money.