Borstelmann makes a persuasive argument in this book that the United States aided and abetted the establishment of the apartheid regime in South Africa because, despite reservations about Nationalist racial policies, it viewed South Africa as a vital ally in the Cold War. Especially noteworthy is the way the book interweaves race relations in both societies and how this affected policy. `In is a fascinating chapter that demonstrates the interrelation of the various regions of the world, Borstelmann meticulously describes the cementing of the US-South African alliance in 1950. ... This book also convincingly demonstrates the link between the race relations in the international arena and the domestic situation of the United States.' History Today