pointillist-empire

This chapter details how World War II transformed the United States into a global imperial power through an extensive network of military bases and logistical infrastructure that connected strategic points worldwide, symbolized by the iconic 'Kilroy was here' graffiti. It highlights the shift from traditional colonial empire models to a dispersed, pointillist empire, emphasizing the U.S.'s expanded territorial control and political influence, including the occupation and governance restructuring of Japan. The chapter underscores the Greater United States as a vast imperial entity with a global presence that extended beyond the continental states to colonized and occupied populations.

The chapter examines the evolution of islands as strategic sites of power, tracing their cultural depiction from lawless outposts to sovereign centers of global influence, epitomized by the James Bond villain Doctor No, inspired by real-life figures like Axel Wenner-Gren. It details the United States' shift from traditional colonial holdings to a 'pointillist empire' of small island military bases, used for covert operations, nuclear testing, and power projection, often at great human and environmental cost to indigenous populations. The chapter also highlights the geopolitical risks and cultural ramifications of nuclear weapons deployment and accidents on these islands, contrasting official U.S. dismissiveness with grassroots resistance and cultural protest movements.

The chapter chronicles the transformation of U.S. military and corporate presence in Saudi Arabia, particularly through the development of Dhahran and Aramco, highlighting the complex interplay of oil interests, local actors like the Bin Laden family, and geopolitical tensions during the Soviet-Afghan war and Gulf War. It contrasts the Vietnam War's protracted conflict with the Gulf War's technologically advanced precision warfare, explores the rise of asymmetric terrorism led by Osama bin Laden, and details the U.S. military's shift toward drone warfare and targeted strikes post-9/11. Finally, it examines the global network of U.S. military bases, including extraterritorial sites like Guantánamo Bay and Guam, as the backbone of a 'pointillist' empire that projects power without traditional colonial governance, while generating legal and political controversies.