The Cold War through Documents: A Global History

The first Cold War between the United Sates and its allies and the former Soviet Union and its allies lasted from World War II's concluding days in 1945 until approximately 1991. This historical epoch saw many significant military confrontations and near confrontations including the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Soviet interventions in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Afghanistan, and eventually the collapse of the Soviet bloc and German reunification. This compendium of documents includes excerpts from significant documents during the first Cold War along with contextual introductions to the background and policy developments resulting in the production of these documents.... This compilation is a useful introduction to some Cold War documents for undergraduate students, and the study questions presented at the end of each document are very beneficial. * American Reference Books Annual * This newly expanded collection of historical documents is intelligently chosen, balanced, and genuinely global in its reach. Students of the Cold War will find ample opportunities to develop their skills in close reading and analysis, thereby deepening their engagement with a conflict that shaped the world we inhabit today. -- Benjamin Nathans, University of Pennsylvania An invaluable resource for teaching undergraduates. The reader offers an excellent selection of the most significant primary sources for studying the major periods and events of the Cold War. Instructors will especially appreciate the dual chronological and thematic organization of the documents, the broader global context, the lucid introductions that provide insightful context, and discussion questions that help students master the content while also encouraging them to apply their understanding of the source to larger Cold War interpretative and comparative inquiries. This volume includes classic documents such as the Truman Doctrine, Eisenhower Doctrine, and the Iron Curtain speech, as well as translations of sources that illuminate policies and perspectives of Soviet, Chinese, Vietnamese, and other non-Western state leaders at key moments in the Cold War. -- Elaine MacKinnon, University of West Georgia This superb collection of documents covers the entire period of the Cold War, from the closing months of World War II in 1945 to the disintegration of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991. The book is a truly international survey covering all aspects of the Cold War, not just the U.S.-Soviet standoff. The editors have chosen their sources extremely well and have provided valuable, even-handed prefatory comments for each topic. Highly recommended as a text for classes on twentieth-century history, international relations, and the history of the Cold War. -- Mark Kramer, Harvard University