The Cold War: A Very Short Introduction

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.

About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.

• World War II: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
• The First World War: A Very Short Introduction
• Arms and Influence: With a New Preface and Afterword (The Henry L. Stimson Lectures Series)
• The Origins of the First World War (Origins of Modern Wars)
• Why Nationalism
• Neoliberalism: A Very Short Introduction
• Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership in Wartime
• Four Guardians: A Principled Agent View of American Civil-Military Relations
• Progressivism: A Very Short Introduction
• Makers of Modern Strategy from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age