Summary
Summary
In The Cold War, Odd Arne Westad offers a new perspective on a century when a superpower rivalry and an ideological war transformed every corner of our globe. We traditionally think of the Cold War as a post-World War II diplomatic and military conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. But in this major new work, Westad argues that the conflict must be understood as a global ideological confrontation with roots in the industrial revolution and with continuing implications for the world today. The Cold War may have begun on the perimeters of Europe but it had its largest impacts in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Expanding our understanding of the Cold War both geographically and chronologically, Westad offers the definitive new history of an ongoing battle.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Westad (Restless Empire), professor of U.S.-Asia relations at Harvard, reassesses conventional frameworks of the Cold War and identifies its origins in the late 19th century with "the expansion of the United States and Russia as transcontinental empires" and "the sharpening of the ideological divide between capitalism and its critics." Within this expansive structure, Westad traces the development of the epic global confrontation between capitalism and socialism "both as an ideological conflict and as an international system." He ably synthesizes contemporary scholarship to produce an accessible narrative that provides a fresh perspective on the conflict's pervasive global influence. This work covers the most prominent issues-the division of Europe, the wars in Korea and Vietnam, the showdown over Berlin, the arms race-and delineates the ways in which the Cold War influenced virtually all international developments, including European postwar reconstruction, decolonization, the Iraqi revolution of 1958, and the institution of military regimes in Latin America. Given the complexity of the era and the breadth of the approach, a single volume can only scratch the surface of the multitude of topics involved, but Westad's panoramic history is nevertheless an impressive feat that will be appreciated by scholars, students, and general readers. Agent: Sarah Chalfant, Wylie Agency. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Review
Despite the plethora of current studies on the Cold War (1947-91), this hefty work by historian Westad (S.T. Lee Professor of U.S.-Asia Relations, Harvard Univ.) is worth the effort, explaining the background of the war and its continuing effects. Westad sets the U.S.-Soviet conflict within a global and longitudinal context, dating back to the 19th century. He provides insight into how the tensions impacted America's relationships with India, China, Cuba, and Vietnam, and others. Additional background is offered on the role of Russian politician Leonid Brezhnev as well as the détente, or brief period of improved relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the 1970s. This significant history is told with verve and spirit. Although much of what Westad discusses is well known, such as how the Cold War affected Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the author's thorough analysis is essential for gaining a complete understanding of this multidecade and multination conflict. VERDICT An essential book for all -collections and one of the best written so far on the Cold War. Westad's valuable work should spur more investigation on the -subject.-Ed Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.