A comparative and comprehensive examination of American policy toward right-wing dictatorships in Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia from the 1960s to the end of the Cold War. It examines the debates and changes in American policy and attitudes toward authoritarian regimes that emerged after the Vietnam War. This led to a new framework built around human rights. While Ronald Reagan sought to reverse Carters policy, Congress and the American public opposed those efforts, leading to an end of automatic U.S. support for authoritarian regimes.