ABSTRACT
The brutality of European imperialism in the Congo drew the attention of the world. The acquisition of territory in the Americas for settlement was a primary goal in the Age of Colonialism, but during the Age of Imperialism, when Europe’s attention turned toward Africa and Asia, actual settlement was a minor concern. In the late 19th century support for imperialism was deeply imbedded in the culture of Western nations, including the United States where westward and overseas expansion were justified as Manifest Destiny. Western capitalism continued to thrive after European empires were dismantled following World War II and Western-type economies successfully developed in many Asian countries. During the Cold War the Soviet Bloc presented itself as an anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist champion and defender of national self-determination in the Third World. The United States and its allies countered that the Soviet Union pursued imperial policies in the Eastern European countries that were members of the communist bloc.
