The Cold War

Outline

The Cold War (2003) is a short, clear introduction to the long rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union that shaped world politics from 1945 to 1991. Robert J. McMahon explains how the conflict began, how it spread around the globe through proxy wars and the nuclear arms race, and how it finally ended. The book helps readers understand a period that still influences today’s world.

• The Cold War was a long rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union that shaped world politics from 1945 to 1991.
• McMahon traces how the conflict began, which helps explain why the two powers became rivals in the first place.
• The rivalry did not stay between two countries; it spread around the globe through proxy wars.
• The nuclear arms race was a central feature of the contest and set it apart from earlier great-power rivalries.
• The Cold War is a period that still influences today's world, so understanding it helps make sense of current politics.

Robert J. McMahon is an American historian and professor emeritus at Ohio State University who specialises in the history of American foreign relations and the Cold War. He has written and edited many works on international history. His books include The Cold War: A Very Short Introduction and The Limits of Empire.