Product Description

This book provides a concise analysis of relations between the United States and the Soviet Union during the whole period of the Cold War from 1945 to 1991. It explains the rise of the two superpowers immediately after World War II. The author describes the growing confrontation between East and West in Europe dating from the announcement of the Truman Doctrine in 1949 to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. Full attention is paid to the extension of the conflict beyond Europe. The analysis covers superpower relations in the 1970s and the developments of the 1980s that led to the end of the Cold War.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #627707 in Books
• Published on: 1997-10-02
• Released on: 1997-08-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

From the Back Cover
This book provides a concise and up–to–date analysis of relations between the United States and the Soviet Union during the whole period of the Cold War from 1945 to 1991.

The author explains the rise of the two superpowers immediately after World War II and discusses the historical controversy over the origins of the Cold War. He describes the growing confrontation between East and West in Europe dating from the announcement of the Truman Doctrine in 1949 to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.

The analysis includes coverage of the extension of the conflict beyond Europe to China, Korea, and Vietnam and also to the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. The author highlights the role of Nixon and Kissinger in an examination of the rise and fall of detente during the 1970s. He explains, too, how superpower relations were dramatically altered during the 1980s by the impact of Reagan and Gorbachev. Finally, the book offers an assessment of the reasons for the sudden ending of the Cold War and its final outcome.

About the Author
Joseph Smith is Reader in American Diplomatic History at the University of Exeter. He has previously taught at the College of William & Mary and the University of Denver. He is General Editor of the Historical Association Studies series.

Customer Reviews

A MUST FOR READERS WHO WANTS TO READ ABOUT THE COLD WAR
Rather than getting bogged down in details and making an in-depth and comprehensive examination,Joseph Smith explains chronologically the key events in the cold war period which lasted from 1945 to 1991. Compared to the other books on this subject ,this book covers the all aspects of the cold war impartially and without bias.Its success is wholly due to its general look to the facts of the cold war

In first chapter,he gives a concise summary over the origins of the cold war.Then he describes the growing confrontation between East and West in Europe.In following chapters,he explains the extension of the conflict to the other parts of the world and makes an assessment of the reasons for the end of it. I think it is one of the most essential and useful books about the cold war for students like me who have began or will begin to read about it.

Although informative it reads like and exam paper
This is one of the few books that you can judge by its cover as it explains the occurrence of the cold war in a chronological manner. It is sectioned into the areas of the world and subsequently runs through the events within certain time frames. After a point it become exceptionally uneventful and tedious (and that in about 150 pages). If you are very interested in the topic then it is a good way of quickly getting a global understanding on the cold war, however if you enjoy reading as much as the content a time bound progression with more input from the authors personality (rather then a reference work – I sometimes thought I was reading some one elses book) would have been allot more appealing.

Good Basic Outline
The Cold War by Joseph Smith is a good starter to those interested in or studying the Cold War. It is by no means "in depth", but provides solid blanket coverage of the major events of the Cold War. The reader will be left a basic knowledge of the crucial points and a good idea of the chronology of the 1945 - 1991 period. The greatest disappointment of the book is that it is written almost entirely from an American point of view, a fact which, considering Joseph Smith is an expert in American Diplomatic History, I suppose is not altogether surprising.

A political slant in any Cold War history is almost obligatory if it is to cover the more interesting battles of the smoky rooms, as opposed to the battle-fields. This was period predominantly a battle of political ideology, and hence obviously hard to analyse with out preference. However, what it is clearly possible to do is to reference and research the archives of all the major players, which is what Joseph Smith failed to do. His quotes are 90% American, and all hind-sight analysis interprets almost solely from the American standpoint. This doesn't make for bad analysis, but merely leaves a hole and the reader fascinated as to what the other side was thinking. In a battle, an insight into both sides' strategies is so much more intriguing than an insight into just one.

That said Joseph Smith's analysis is good, and he has provided a good content and an impressive amount of fist hand accounts. His writing flows well, and for a factual text aimed primarily to be used for study purposes, his account reads well. This is after all a fascinating period of history, from Korea to Iraq via Afghanistan The Cold War can go a long way in explaining much of the current political turmoil in the world.