The Cold War: A Very Short IntroductionThe 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. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. |
Contents
1 World War II and the destruction of the old order | 1 |
2 The origins of the Cold War in Europe 194550 | 16 |
3 Towards Hot War in Asia 194550 | 35 |
4 A global Cold War 19508 | 56 |
5 From confrontation to detente 195868 | 78 |
6 Cold wars at home | 105 |
7 The rise and fall of superpower detente 196879 | 122 |
8 The final phase 198090 | 143 |
| 169 | |
| 175 | |
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Common terms and phrases
aggression agreement alliance allies American anti-communist arms control Berlin bloc Brezhnev Britain British Carter Chiang China Chinese Communist Churchill Cold War Cold War’s communist Communist Party conflict Cuba Cuban Cuban Missile Crisis decades defence Democratic deployment detente diplomatic East–West Eastern economic effort Egypt’s Eisenhower Eisenhower’s Europe’s fear forces Foreign Minister foreign policy France French geopolitical global goal Gorbachev ideological independence Indo-China initially invasion Japan Japanese June Kennedy Khrushchev Kissinger Korean Kremlin Middle East military million Minh Missile Crisis Moscow movement national security nationalist NATO needs negotiations Nixon November nuclear weapons October peace Poland political postwar president Reagan regime Republic revolutionary Roosevelt Russian Secretary sought South Vietnam Southeast Asia Soviet leader Soviet Union Soviet–American sphere of influence Stalin strategic strategists struggle superpower tensions Third World threat treaty troops Truman administration United Viet Minh wartime West Germany Western Europe Western European World War II