This is a question has been bothering me as someone who’s country was colonized by the British Empire. We were taught about it in schools and how it lost power over time but never how the USA came to take its place especially over such a short compared to the British Empire.
They massively financially helped and “sustained democracies” that then welcomed USA’s products and culture, growing and becoming world powers themselves (like Italy). The B.E. had a similar chance, but way before, and they just did prey on everything they could (like India or Egypt) until they were kicked out.