Description
Book SynopsisThe East-West struggle for supremacy from 1945 to 1989 shaped the lives of hundreds of millions and brought the world to the brink of disaster on several occasions. More than two decades on, the debate over its causes and dynamics is far from over. Drawing on the latest archival evidence and scholarly research, prize-winning historian John Lamberton Harper provides a concise, briskly-written assessment of the Cold War. Why did it start, and eventually envelope nearly every corner of the planet? Why did it stay cold, at least in its original, European theatre? Why did it end, and who should take the credit? Harper illuminates the deep-seated behavioural patterns within both the Soviet Union and the United States: the search for security through expansion and military might, the belief in a messianic mission to uplift humanity, but also a readiness to live and let live based on membership in a common state system and a shared interest in survival. He stresses ways in which internal compe
Trade Reviewa clearly written, lucid political history of the Cold War * Peter Shearman, Europe-Asia Studies *
an excellent book, a careful, nuanced and rich account of four decades of East-West conflict. * Survival *
This is an excellent overview of the Cold War. * Dr Gábor Bátonyi, University of Bradford *
Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Documentary Traces ; 1. Russia and the West: Destined to Collide? ; 2. The End of Illusions, 1945-1946 ; 3. The Consolidation of the Blocs, 1947-1949 ; 4. The Globalization and Militarization of the Contest, 1949-1953 ; 5. The Age of Brinkmanship, 1953-1963 ; 6. The Struggle in the Third World, 1950-1968 ; 7. The Rise and Decline of Detente, 1969-1977 ; 8. To the Panic of '79 ; 9. Stirrings of Change, 1980-1985 ; 10. Putting an End to the Cold War, 1986-1990 ; Conclusion ; Endnotes ; Select Bibliography ; Index
