This book is a counterpoint to the prevailing view that the United States is an imperialist nation that has violently pursued power in the world to advance its own narrow interests. The basic theme is that at the dawn of the twentieth century, there were six democracies in the world, but by century's end, democracy was ascendant. This epic historical transformation has, argues the author, been thanks in great measure to the vision and sacrifices made by Americans. The author examines the great conflicts of the twentieth century, showing how American democratic principles have utterly reshaped global values and politics.The author cites numerous examples since World War II of U.S.A. helping to promote democracy. The Marshall Plan, the single most influential rebuilding programme in human history, helped to sustain stable democracies in Western Europe. The fostering of democracy in Japan, the establishment of the UN, and the fall of the Soviet Union reshaped the world in unforeseen ways. America has dedicated itself to democracy in the Middle East, to the democratisation in China, and to the larger quest for the spread of liberal democratic principles worldwide, even when the struggle is difficult, dangerous, and ongoing. Early in the century, Woodrow Wilson said that America should "make the world safe for democracy." In doing so, the United States changed human history.