Description
Book SynopsisThe Cold War is often viewed in absolutist terminology: the United States and the Soviet Union characterized one another in oppositional rhetoric and pejorative propaganda. State-sanctioned communications stressed the inherent dissimilarity between their own citizens and those of their Cold War foe. Such rhetoric exacerbated geopolitical tensions and heightened Cold War paranoia, most notably during the Red Scare and brinkmanship incidents. Government leaders stressed the reactive defensive foreign policies they implemented to retaliate against their counterparts' offensive maneuvers. Only brief periods of détente gave glimpses into the possibility of concerted peaceful coexistence.Yet such characterizations neglect the complexities and rhetorical nuances that created fissures throughout the long-standing ideological conflict. Grassroots diplomacy rarely coalesced with official governmental rhetoric and often contradicted the discourse emanating from the White House and the Kremlin. Or
Trade ReviewJennifer M. Hudson presents a thoughtful examination of rhetorical themes and strategies utilized by American and Russian political and cultural leaders during each stage of the Cold War era. She ambitiously analyzes diplomatic engagements and intellectual encounters to provide insights on assumptions and perceptions. Hudson mines a wide range of travel accounts, newspaper reports and editorials, artistic and documentary films, government documents, and memoirs for a thought-provoking reflection on the spectrum of responses of Russians and Americans to each other in a variety of settings. -- Matthew Lee Miller, University of Northwestern—St. Paul
Table of ContentsChapter 1: Ideological Contagions, 1870–1924 Chapter 2: Interwar Border-Crossings and Identity Crises, 1924–1939 Chapter 3: Peaceful Coexistence during the Great Patriotic War, 1939–1945 Chapter 4: Arms Enthusiasts and Disarmament Devotees, 1946–1959 Chapter 5: Brinkmanship Gives Birth to Détente, 1959–1979 Chapter 6: The Cold War’s Last Breath, 1980–1991 Conclusion: Post-Cold War Relations
