This article analyzes the course of US–Yemeni relations from the 1940s to the present and aims to explain the reasons for the twists and turns in bilateral relations. It argues that the US government never developed a unique “Yemen policy” and that its attitude toward that country was determined largely by its ties with Saudi Arabia. Yemen began to loom large in US foreign policy in the early 1960s when Egyptian President Gamal Abd al-Nasser intervened on behalf of the Republicans who staged a coup against the Royal imamate regime, which relied on Saudi support. The article shows that President John Kennedy looked favorably on the new Republican regime in Yemen despite the robust relations that existed between the United Statesand Saudi Arabia. In addition, it argues that despite the war in Yemen, which lasted from 1962 to 1970 and caused instability in this region, this country did not loom large in US foreign policy. This was largely due to the British presence in south Yemen and especially in the port of Aden, which lasted until 1967. The article shows how the British withdrawal from Aden increased Yemen’s value in the eyes of US policymakers, but even then, no effort was made to fashion a unique policy toward this country. In addition, the article demonstrates how Washington’s attitude changed in 1969 when the country was divided into North Yemen, which tended to regard the Soviet Union as its protector and South Yemen, which continued to rely on US aid. And lastly, the article traces US–Yemeni relations from 1990, when the country reunited, until the present. It demonstrates how the bilateral relations were affected by the superpowers’ rivalry during the Cold War, the fight against terrorism, and disagreement between the Republican and the Democratic parties in the United States.

本文分析了 1940 年代至今美也门关系的发展历程，旨在解释双边关系曲折的原因。它认为，美国政府从未制定出独特的“也门政策”，其对该国的态度主要取决于其与沙特阿拉伯的关系。也门在 1960 年代初期开始在美国外交政策中占据重要地位，当时埃及总统纳赛尔代表共和党人进行了干预，后者对依赖沙特支持的皇家伊玛目政权发动政变。文章显示，尽管美国和沙特阿拉伯之间存在牢固的关系，但约翰·肯尼迪总统对也门的新共和党政权持乐观态度。此外，它认为，尽管也门发生了战争，从 1962 年持续到 1970 年，并在该地区造成了不稳定，这个国家在美国的外交政策中并不重要。这主要是由于英国在也门南部，尤其是在亚丁港的存在，一直持续到 1967 年。 文章展示了英国从亚丁撤军如何增加了也门在美国决策者眼中的价值，但即便如此，也没有做出任何努力。制定对这个国家的独特政策。此外，文章还展示了华盛顿在1969年分裂为倾向于将苏联视为其保护者的北也门和继续依赖美国援助的南也门时的态度如何变化。最后，文章追溯了美国与也门从 1990 年重新统一到现在的关系。