Dr William D. James

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, many observers declared the UK-US alliance—often dubbed "the special relationship"—dead. Yet this was hardly the first time the partnership was read its last rites. Indeed, one of its defining characteristics is its resilience in the face of political volatility and geopolitical shifts.

 

Transatlantic Storms in Anglo-American Relations explains how the world's most consequential bilateral alliance endures despite countless crises. The book's contributors trace the roots of the US-UK alliance; analyse the institutionalised pillars of nuclear, military, and intelligence cooperation; and highlight underappreciated aspects of economic and defence-industrial interdependence. Drawing on archival research and interviews, the volume revisits lesser-known strategic flashpoints and reveals how twentieth-century crises tested the alliance without breaking its foundations.

 

Amid the US rebalance to the Indo-Pacific and Donald Trump's return to the White House, James and Kennedy provide an essential guide for understanding the character, legacy, and trajectory of the UK-US relationship.

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Transatlantic Storms in Anglo-American Relations will be published by Georgetown University Press in March 2026 and can be preordered here. 

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Chapters:

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INTRODUCTION

'The Nature and Character of Anglo-American Strategic Relations' by Greg Kennedy

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PART ONE: THE ROOTS & PRACTICE OF INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION

• 1) 'US-UK Nuclear Relationship in American Politics' by Suzanne Doyle

• 2) 'Multinational Coalition Warfare and the Anglo-American Experiment in the Mediterranean, 1942–43' by Carson Teuscher

• 3) 'BRUSA: Antecedents, Foundation, and Formative Conduct, 1940–43' by C.J. Jenner

• 4) 'Anglo-American Clandestine Cooperation: The Past, Present, and Future of the Special Intelligence Relationship(s)' by Thomas Maguire & David V. Gioe

• 5) 'Anglo-American Military Relations Since the End of the Cold War' by Wyn Rees

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PART II: ECONOMIC & INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION 

• 6) 'The United States, the United Kingdom, and the International Financial System Since 1945' by Michael F. Hopkins

• 7) 'Joint Strike Fighter and Transatlantic Defence Procurement' by Emma Salisbury

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PART III: CRISIS POINTS

• 8) 'The First World War and the Anglo-American Crisis of 1916' by Andrew Gawthorpe

• 9) 'Loyalty, Inertia, and a High-Level Tiff: Anglo-American Relations in 1956' by Gill Bennett

• 10) 'Jordan and Kuwait: US-UK Relations in the Aftermath of Suez' by Louise Kettle

• 11) 'The Secret Weapon: Chevaline's Stealthy Legacy' by Reja Younis

• 12) 'Divergent Decisions, Shared Vision: US-UK Relations and Strategic Choices Following the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan' by Barbara Zanchetta

• 13) 'Wagging the Dog? Blair, Clinton, and the "Special Relationship" in the Kosovo Crisis' by Jonathan Esty

 

CONCLUSION

'1956 and All That: Is the Anglo-American Alliance Immune to Political Crises?' by William D. James

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Endorsements:

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"Drawing on meticulous archival research, this timely book illuminates the institutional arrangements and deliberations at the heart of the US-UK strategic relationship that have given it remarkable resilience. This deeper understanding of the interplay of individuals, offices, and processes will help navigate the relationship through the intensifying challenges ahead."

 

- Peter Watkins CBE, former director-general, UK Ministry of Defence

"This excellent collection of essays sheds new light on why the US-UK alliance has endured despite many challenges. It is a must read for scholars of alliance politics."

 

- Dr Aaron Bateman, George Washington University

"Whether they regard the Anglo-American 'special relationship' as a pillar of international order or a superannuated myth, readers will derive immense value from these original, well-researched, and cogently argued case studies of key security and defense issues facing American and British officials, from World War II to the Trump era."

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- Professor David G. Haglund, author of The US 'Culture Wars' and the Anglo-American Special Relationship

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