Product Description

The massive disorder and economic ruin following the Second World War inevitably predetermined the scope and intensity of the Cold War. But why did it last so long? And what impact did it have on the United States, the Soviet Union, Europe, and the Third World? Finally, how did it affect the broader history of the second half of the twentieth century - what were the human and financial costs? This Very Short Introduction provides a clear and stimulating interpretive overview of the Cold War, one that will both invite debate and encourage deeper investigation.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17729 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 200 pages

Review
Small but impressive (Soldier Magazine )

About the Author
Robert J. McMahon is Professor of History at the University of Florida, and President of the Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations. Among his many acclaimed books are The Cold War on the Periphery: the United States, India, and Pakistan (1994), and The Limits of Empire: the US and Southeast Asia since World War II (1999). He has held visiting professorships in Britain and Ireland as well as in Asia and around the US. He received the Bernath article
prize from SHAFR in 1989 and the Bernath lectureship in 1991.

Customer Reviews

Excellent introduction to the Cold War.
This is a pocket sized book with a title that implies it offers a brief overview of the Cold War but make no mistake, there is nothing lacking in this little gem. Starting with World War II and the destruction of the old Eurocentric world order, the book progresses to the origins of the Cold War, through developing problems in South East Asia, the rise of the Superpowers and finally ends with the fall of Communism in the former USSR.
There are many illustrations and some useful maps along with a very useful chapter pointing to further reading for anyone wishing to extend their knowledge of the subject. This book contains more than enough information to give a good grounding in the subject, not only for the casual reader but also for the student. It may be a 'very short introduction' but it is an extremely thorough one.

A Useful Overview
I am a big fan of the VSI series, having become familiar with them whilst studying at University. For anyone engaged in academic study of history, you will be all too aware of how useful it is to have a good overview before commencing detailed study. When studying any issue or time period, it is invaluable to possess an understanding of the broad sweep of events before delving into the details of any one particular event. The Very Short Introductions provide this crucial background information.

I have used many of the VSI series, and the Cold War by McMahon is among the best. The narrative is largely complete, and outlines all of the major Cold War events - certainly in enough detail for any undergraduate paper - providing an interesting veneer of analysis that often raises interesting issues that may have passed you by. The book also features occasional 'boxes' of text that explain headline-making events which are not covered by the broader narrative yet are good to know about, for example the Contra affair is covered this way.

If you are merely interested in acquiring a working understanding of the events of the Cold War, then this is a highly useful book. However, it does not delve into any of the theoretical interpretations of the Cold War, and does very little to explain the shifting strategic paradigms employed by either side. So, although you will be left with a good understanding of the events of the Cold War, further reading is essential if you wish to get to grips with the thinking that motivated shifts from, say, containment to détente, or from New Look asymmetry to Flexible Response symmetry.

In short, the book fulfils its mandate, and serves as an excellent short introduction. I would strongly advise that any student who is new to studying the cold war pick up a copy of this book before he gets started on more detailed studies.

A concise and provoking over-view
The first of this series (Oxford Very Short Introductions) I have read, in its 168 pages in small paperback format (ideal for the pocket!), this is a great read under any criteria. It covers very concisely the 40 year odd conflict giving an excellent overview whatever you prior level of knowledge.

Along the way it offers a lot of very thought provoking observations including - a) the very "high risk" gambles taken by USA up to the Cuban missile crisis given their superiority in nuclear power; b) the real victim of the Cold War was not Europe but the Third World both in deaths suffered and with the US and USSR policy having major impacts on certain countries developments across the decades beyond the well known cases of Vietnam etc; and, c) finally a fresh re-assessment of Nixon's and Kissinger's different style of 1970s international "realpolitik" diplomacy esp. in playing off USSR and China, compared with their predecessors and successors.

If the rest of the "Very Short Introductions" series can match this standard they will have delivered a great academic achievement.