My god, what a history, sorely needed at a time like this.
In carefully, explicitly documented detail, the author lays out the horrifying, inexorable journey the American government took to Imperialist conquest of people who were seen by a white-centric public as lesser, undeserving of equitable freedoms or self-determination and stripping human dignity and life itself from tens of thousands of people. All in the name of “saving “ them from Spanish colonialism, the US blasted its way across Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines in a blood-spattered cloud of corruption and hubris. This history is still not well taught in American schools, but it is a history well known to those whose countries were permanently altered by it.
Like Suzy Hanson’s Pulitzer-finalist “Notes on a Foreign Country,” Jackson’s “Splendid Liberators” reveals with exquisite clarity why the United States is rightfully hated by much of the world. We need to know and understand this history. Without these stories, we Americans will continue to wither in ignorance on the vine of history, and deservedly so. The sickening truth is part of us, and illustrates our deep, carnal debt to those we have conquered in the name of democracy, but in truth were merely living flesh to feed our capitalist hunger, justified by an ethnocentric eugenicist ideology that stripped the humanity from those whose lands we lusted after, whose natural resources and strategic locations we coveted. Nothing more.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of the pre-release text in exchange for an honest review. I will be purchasing copies of this book for several friends and family members, because it is that important.

.

Splendid Liberators is a powerful and unflinching examination of the consequences of American intervention during the Cold War, and Joe Jackson proves himself a master of narrative nonfiction. Drawing on meticulous research, personal accounts, and government documents, Jackson reconstructs the events in Latin America—particularly in Guyana—with an eye for both political complexity and moral clarity. What begins as a tale of idealism quickly descends into a sobering account of betrayal, violence, and the devastating costs of realpolitik.

Jackson’s writing is vivid and deeply human. He has an extraordinary ability to give voice to those who are often forgotten or marginalized in the historical record, allowing the reader to connect with the story on an emotional as well as intellectual level. The pacing is brisk without sacrificing depth, and Jackson carefully builds context around the geopolitical motives driving U.S. actions—never letting the narrative lose sight of the people affected on the ground.

What makes Splendid Liberators so compelling is not just its exposure of troubling historical truths, but its relevance to contemporary discussions about power, foreign policy, and moral responsibility. It challenges the reader to question assumptions and to confront uncomfortable truths about the legacy of American influence abroad.

This is not just an important book—it is a necessary one. For readers of history, politics, or human rights, Splendid Liberators is a gripping, infuriating, and ultimately unforgettable work that deserves a wide audience.