[FlamesAddiction]

The big change after WWII was the global power vacuum after most of Europe was in shambles and colonial empires started to fall. They were always projecting their influence anywhere they could, but after 1945, there were few countries competing with them. Before WWII, the U.S. had to pick and chose their spots because other empires like France, Britain, Germany, Japan, and Russia were no push overs, hence why they focused mainly on beating Spain down. After WWII, it was a buffet for the U.S. and aside from Russia and to a lesser degree China, no one was in a position to oppose them.

For the record, I would much rather be aligned with the U.S. than Russia or China, but there are issues with all three when it comes to how they project power.