392 Pages 23 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    392 Pages 23 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Covering the development of the Cold War from the mid-twentieth century to the present day, The Cold War 1949–2016 explores the struggle for world domination that took place between the United States and the Soviet Union following the Second World War. The conflict between these two superpowers shaped global history for decades, and this book examines how this conflict developed into a nuclear arms race, spurred much of the wider world towards war and eventually resulted in the collapse of the Soviet empire.

    In this accessible yet comprehensive volume, Martin McCauley examines not only the actions of the United States and the Soviet Union but also the effects upon and involvement of other regions such as Africa, Central America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Key themes include the Sino-Soviet relationship and the global ambitions of the newly formed People’s Republic of China, the rise and fall of communism in countries such as Cuba, Angola and Ethiopia, the US defeat in Vietnam, the gradual unravelling of the Soviet Union and the changing shape of the post–Cold War world.

    Providing a wide-ranging overview of the main turning points of the conflict and illustrated throughout with photographs and maps, this is essential reading for all students of the Cold War and its lasting global impact.

    List of Maps List of Illustrations Foreword 1. ORIGINS OF THE COLD WAR 2. COLD WAR: 1949–53 3. TO THE BRINK AND BACK: 1953–62 4. THE US AND THE SOVIET UNION IN THE THIRD WORLD 5. THE SINO-SOVIET SCHISM 6. CUBA, VIETNAM AND INDONESIA 7. THE WAR OF CULTURES 8. THE PRAGUE SPRING 9. DÉTENTE: 1969–79 10. THE ISLAMIC CHALLENGE TO GDÁNSK: IRAN AND AFGHANISTAN 11. CAMBODIA-KAMPUCHEA 12. POST-DÉTENTE: 1979–85 13. GORBACHEV AND THE END OF THE COLD WAR 14. THE JUDGEMENT 15. THE POST–COLD WAR WORLD Further Reading References

    Biography

    Martin McCauley is a prolific author and broadcaster who has a wealth of experience in Soviet, Russian and international affairs. He was at the University of London for over 30 years, and his recent publications include Origins of the Cold War, 4th edition (2015), Russia, America and the Cold War, 2nd edition (2008), Stalin and Stalinism, 3rd edition (2008) and The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union (2007).  

    "The Cold War 1949–2016 is the most readable, comprehensive, knowledgeable narrative of the Cold War. No one can read this book without learning something new, unusual and thought-provoking."

    Christopher Read, University of Warwick, UK