Description
Book SynopsisBy virtue of its geographical and historical position, postwar Austria was condemned to a prominent role in the plans of both the East and the West. In this account of an unusual episode in the Cold War, Audrey Kurth Cronin examines the negotiations over Austria and the Soviet Union''s sudden and surprising decision to withdraw its troops and accept the country as a neutral Western state, after having rejected any settlement for eight years. Drawing on a wealth of recently declassified British and American documents and on interviews with key Austrian participants, Cronin analyzes the events leading up to the 1955 Austrian State Treaty and, in the process, strengthens our understanding of current East-West relations. Her account of the creation of a neutral state in the heart of a divided Europe will be important reading for all who are concerned with security affairs, international relations, and the history of the Cold War.
Trade ReviewAudrey Kurth Cronin greatly amplifies our knowledge with this first-rate assessment of Austria's place in the rivalries of the great powers between 1945 and 1955. A most revealing addition to the history of post-war Europe.
* History *
A useful introduction to the diplomacy of the Austrian question. The book makes a contribution by providing a more complete picture of American and British policy than that given in previous accounts.
* The Journal of Modern History *
Cronin's thoroughly researched account can be commended, alike for its clear narrative and its generally sound conclusions. On the grandes lignes, and notably the reasons for the Soviet volte-face in 1954–1955, she strikes a judicious balance, eschewing what tends still to be a common view that neutrality as such was the key to the Austrian settlement.
* International Affairs *
Cronin's discussion of this drawn-out diplomatic struggle between the Great Powers since 1945 over Austria is a competent account, set against the background of the dire need to reestablish Austria's independence and of the numerous crises of the cold war and the Korean and Indochinese wars.
* American Historical Review *
