This book explores the processes through which America's nation-building approaches originated and developed over the last seven decades as well as the concepts and motivations that shaped them. Weaving together International Relations theory and a rich history drawing mainly on declassified documents, interviews and other primary sources, this book contributes to theoretical discussions of nation-building while offering a critique of Realist and Critical Security School analyses of US policy in the developing world. It also explores the conceptual relationship between security and development in IR theory, and how this conceptualisation can be shaped by the assumptions underpinning an international actor's own political culture. Ultimately, the book illuminates lessons relevant to today's nation-building, crisis management, stability, 'good governance' and reconstruction missions. How and why did the United States get involved in nation-building overseas, and how have these policies evolved? How has Washington understood the relationship between development abroad and security at home, and how has this translated into policy? What is the relationship between security, order and development in nation-building and stabilisation efforts? In exploring these questions, this book makes a significant contribution to current policy debates as well as scholarly literature in the International Relations field, particularly in security studies and foreign policy analysis. The book should also prove useful to practitioners currently involved in nation-building and peacebuilding efforts.