The Rise of the United States as a Global Superpower

5 min readAug 7, 2023

The United States of America has emerged as the most powerful nation on earth. From entering World War II as one of the great military powers, it ended the war as the dominant force in the world. With a defense spending of $778 billion, the US accounts for 39% of global military spending. No nation dares to attack the US directly or its allies as they know it would lead to ruin.

If we look at the size of the US economy, it is far ahead of the rest of the world. While Japan stands at $4.9 trillion and China at $17.7 trillion, the United States alone is bigger than both these economies combined, with a staggering $22.99 trillion. Not only that, but the US military budget is larger than the combined military budgets of the next nine countries. The American army protects more than 65 countries and has 700 bases across the world.

Business During Wars

The story dates back to the 1940s. While major empires were dedicating all their resources to war, the US did not participate until the end. Instead, it acted as a war merchant, supplying goods to the warring nations. This allowed the US to experience a massive economic boom. The value of US exports grew from $2.4 billion in 1930 to $6.2 billion in 1947. By conducting business during the wars, the US made a significant amount of money, while other countries’ economies were devastated.

Gold Reserves

In addition to making money, the US also increased its gold reserves. By the end of the wars, the US had 75% of the entire world’s voluntary gold reserves. Their gold reserves went from 2,000 tons in 1910 to almost 20,000 tons in 1944. However, gold alone did not make the US a superpower.

Strategies for Global Superpower

Along with gold, the US deployed several important strategies that turned them into a global superpower.

Building a Formidable Military: The US built the most advanced military in the world, establishing dominance and getting other countries dependent on their military protection.
Establishing Military Bases: The US has 750 military facilities in 80 nations and territories worldwide. They established bases in countries like Germany, Japan, and Italy, acting as protectors to prevent uprisings.
IMF and World Bank: The US, along with others, established IMF and World Bank facilities to loan money to other countries and have economic influence.
Intelligence Control: The CIA had a strong hold over potentially rich nations, enabling the US to overthrow unfavorable leaders and appoint leaders who would abide by their rules.
Protecting Critical Points: The US protected countries like Taiwan from China to prevent rival superpowers from taking control.

These strategies, combined with the US’s economic leverage and growth, turned the country into a global superpower. The US became the biggest exporter of various goods, including food, crude oil, and aircraft engines. It also became the tech hub of the world.

Dependency and Mitigating Risks

On the other hand, the US mitigated its dependency on other countries for critical resources.

Security Assurance: Countries like Taiwan and Saudi Arabia rely on US security guarantees, creating a mutually beneficial relationship.
Dollar Dominance: The US dollar became the reserve currency of the world after an agreement with Saudi Arabia. This allowed the US to control the most valuable commodity, oil.
Military Bases: The US strategically placed military bases near important points on the world map, ensuring its military presence in crucial regions.

The Importance of Choke Points

In geopolitics, certain locations known as choke points play a crucial role in world trade. These choke points are areas where if blocked, a significant portion of global trade would come to a standstill. Some examples of choke points include the Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Malacca, and the Bab El-Mandeb Strait.

The Strait of Hormuz is located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
The Strait of Malacca is situated between the Malay Peninsula and the Indian Ocean Island of Sumatra.
The Bab El-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is located between Yemen, Djibouti, and Eritrea.

Apart from these three choke points, there are four more of significance: the Mozambique Channel, the Suez Canal, the Sunda Strait, and the Lombok Strait.

The United States strategically establishes military bases near these choke points to maintain dominance over them. For example, the US has bases in Bahrain to control the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal, as well as a base in Djibouti to monitor the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea. Additionally, the US has bases in Greece and Turkey to secure its interests in the region. To capitalize on the Strait of Malacca and the Sunda and Lombok Straits, the US has a base in Singapore.

By positioning military bases near these choke points, the US can effectively block rival trade during conflicts or use them as strategic locations for protection and warfare. This positioning gives the US significant control over the most important trade routes in the world.

As a result, the world is more dependent on the US for defense than the Americans are dependent on the world.

Strategic Alliances

During times of war, strategic alliances play a crucial role in global politics. The formation of NATO in 1949 was a response to the growing influence of the Soviet Union. NATO, consisting of 12 founding members including the US, aims to protect any member country that comes under attack by deploying the military forces of all member nations.

Another important alliance is the United Nations (UN), which has 193 member states. The US is the largest donor to the UN, contributing over $11 billion in 2020, accounting for 20% of its annual budget. The US’s significant contribution allows the UN to impose sanctions on states that the US disapproves of.

Lastly, the dollarization of the world has also contributed to the US’s rise as a global power.

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