Transcending the Cold War: Summits, Statecraft, and the Dissolution of Bipolarity in Europe, 1970–1990Kristina Spohr, David Reynolds In 1989 and 1990 the map of Europe was redrawn without a war, unlike other great ruptures of the international order such as 1815, 1870, 1918, and 1945. How did this happen? This major multinational study, based on archives from both sides of the 'Iron Curtain', highlights the contribution of international statecraft to the peaceful dissolution of Europe's bipolar order by examining pivotal summit meetings from 1970 to 1990. These are organized into three periods: 'Thawing', 'Living with', and 'Transcending' the Cold War. The volume offers fascinating insights into key statesmen such as Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, Leonid Brezhnev and Mikhail Gorbachev, Willy Brandt and Helmut Kohl, Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping. It explores the central issues of the superpowers and arms control, their triangular relationship with China, and the seemingly intractable German question. Particular attention is devoted to the cultural dimensions of summitry, as performative acts for the media and as encounters with 'the Other' across ideological divides. All these threads are drawn together in a sweeping analytical conclusion. Written in lively prose, Transcending the Cold War is essential reading for anyone interested not just in modern history but also current international affairs. |
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agreed agreement allies ambassadorial American arms race Bahr Beijing bipolar Bonn Bonn’s Brandt Carter China Chinese Cold War Communist Party concluded confrontation country’s CSCE David Reynolds December Democrats Deng détente dialogue diplomatic division of Europe Dobrynin East Berlin East German Eastern Europe Erfurt Erfurt and Kassel European Fang Final Act Foreign Geneva George H.W. Bush German reunification German-German relations Germany’s global Gorbachev grasp to contribute issues Kissinger Kissinger’s Kohl Kohl’s Kremlin Kristina Spohr Leonid Brezhnev Malta Mao Zedong MBFR meet with Stoph military Moscow mutual NATO NATO’s negotiations nuclear officials Ostpolitik overcoming the division peace Politburo political position president proposal proved rapprochement Reagan relationship Reykjavik SALT signed significant Sino-Soviet Soviet leader Soviet Union Spohr and David strategic summit diplomacy summitry Taiwan talks Transcending the Cold treaty troops unification United USSR USSR’s Warsaw Pact Washington West Germany Western Zhou