Description
Book SynopsisAfter Stalin''s death in March 1953, the Cold War changed almost overnight. The Soviet Union embarked on a course of reconciliation and greater openness. However, despite an end to the Korean War and progress on many other outstanding East-West questions, the Western world remained mistrustful of Soviet motives and policies and Soviet leaders remained suspicious of Western intentions. Less than a decade after Stalin''s death the Berlin Wall was erected and the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world close to nuclear annihilation. Was this development unavoidable? Was an opportunity missed to overcome and terminate the Cold War? Was there a possibility for the creation of a more stable, less threatening, and less costly world in both human and material terms? It is only now, after the end of the Cold War and based on recently declassified western documents and revelations from once-closed archives in the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and China, that new light can be shed on the na
Trade ReviewThis exemplary collection of original essays sheds much new light on the evolution of the Cold War during one of its most dangerous and fluid phases. A model of broadly focused international history, The Cold War after Stalin's Death imaginatively probes paths taken—and not taken—by the Soviets, the Americans, and other key actors during a crucial period. Highly recommended for scholars and general readers alike. -- Robert J. McMahon, The Ohio State University
A richly varied collection of original essays addressing a question of enduring fascination and historical importance: what was the meaning of Stalin’s death for the international system? Editors Larres and Osgood have assembled a stellar group of contributors, and together they produce a highly informative, authoritative volume. -- Fredrik Logevall, Cornell University; author of Choosing War: The Lost Chance for Peace and the Escalation of War in Vietnam
Table of ContentsIntroduction: International Politics in the Early Post-Stalin Era: A Lost Opportunity, a Turning Point, or More of the Same? Part I: The Soviet Union and the United States after Stalin Chapter 1: The Elusive Détente: Stalin's Successors and the West Chapter 2: The Perils of Coexistence: Peace and Propaganda in Eisenhower's Foreign Policy Chapter 3: A Missed Chance for Peace?: Opportunities for Détente in Europe Chapter 4: Poisoned Apples: John Foster Dulles and the Peace Offensive Part II: The Peace Offensives in Cultural Context Chapter 5: Meanings of Peace: The Rhetorical Cold War after Stalin Chapter 6: Stalin's Ghost: Cold War Culture and U.S.-Soviet Relations Part III: Fragile Coalitions, East and West Chapter 7: The Road to Geneva 1955: Churchill's Summit Diplomacy and Anglo-American Tension after Stalin's Death Chapter 8: Alliance Politics after Stalin's Death: Franco-American Conflict in Europe and Asia Chapter 9: Coexistence and Confrontation: Sino-Soviet Relations after Stalin Chapter 10: The New Course: Soviet Policy Toward Germany and the Uprising in the GDR Part IV: Assessing Peaceful Coexistence Chapter 11: Cold War, Détente, and the 1956 Hungarian Revolution Chapter 12: The Robust Assertion of Austrianism: Peaceful Coexistence in Austria after Stalin's Death Chapter 13: The Lure of Neutrality: Finland and the Cold War Chapter 14: Treacherous Ground: Soviet-Japanese Relations and the United States
