Product Description

The introduction to this title carefully analyses the crucial events in the years 1944-47, which led to the break down of the Second World War alliance between the 'Big Three' and the onset of the Cold War. The author goes on to show how the Cold War shaped post-war Europe through the division of Germany and created two great military and economic blocs. The narrative discusses the differing definitions of what the Cold War was, paying particular attention to the historical debates on the various aspects of the Cold War. Recent historical research based on newly released material in the former Soviet and Eastern European archives, is used to explain the origins of the Cold War, the Berlin blockade of 1948-9, the Hungarian revolt of 1956, the Second Berlin crisis of 1958-61 and the collapse of Communism in 1989-91. The updated study guides provide a firm basis for answering differentiated source-based and extended writing questions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #471623 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-28
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

About the Author
David Williamson is a retired Head of History - Highgate School - and a very well-known textbook author at AS and A level

Customer Reviews

Very useful!
As a teacher of history I have found this book to be a very useful compliment to the OCR History A2 Course. It provides a worthy overview of the main aspects of the course on Stalin and the Development of the Cold War. The book also includes key documents/sources and structured questions to each topic. Very user friendly with summary diagrams. Thank you!

Doh!!
This is a poor introduction to a complex subject and only gets a second star because it might be useful in explaining the matter to toddlers!

Mmmm
Williamson provides a basic, general introduction to the main facts of the Cold War, but there is a definite American bias, not only in respect of US relations with the Soviet Union, but also with the western European nations - America saved the world idea! For a much, much better (and fuller) introduction to the subject, read William Keylor's books. He is a Harvard professor, but takes a very neutral but informative approach. His books are also very easy to read.