Question

"i can never be anything else but an american, and i must think of the united states first, and when i think of the united states first . . . i am thinking of what is best for the world, for if the united states fails, the best hopes of mankind fail with it." —henry cabot lodge, letter to president woodrow wilson, 1919

Answer 1

It’s seemingly saying that “I am an American and I will only be an American, because America is the world & when this country fails , all fails with it.” So we’re the Model , all other countries look(ed) up to us . So when we fail , the entire world will fail .