Abstract

Exploring the visions of the end of the Cold War that have been put forth since its inception until its actual ending, this volume brings to the fore the reflections, programmes, and strategies that were intended to call into question the bipolar system and replace it with alternative approaches or concepts. These visions were associated not only with prominent individuals, organized groups and civil societies, but were also connected to specific historical processes or events. They ranged from actual, thoroughly conceived programmes, to more blurred, utopian aspirations — or simply the belief that the Cold War had already, in effect, come to an end. Such visions reveal much about the contexts in which they were developed and shed light on crucial moments and phases of the Cold War.

Frédéric Bozo is Professor of History and International Relations in the Department of European Studies at the Sorbonne (University of Paris III). His publications include Mitterrand, the End of the Cold War, and German Unification (2009) and Two Strategies for Europe: De Gaulle, the United States and the Atlantic Alliance (2001).

“[This] superb collection…[is] a unique and valuable contribution to the voluminous literature on the Cold War… Essential.”  ·  Choice

“This is an excellent collection of twenty-one essays divided into seven sections on perceptions of how the Cold War would end in Europe. Though the essays were presented at a conference previously held at the Sorbonne, the superb editing and organization make this compendium far more than a collection of proceedings… a welcome addition to the literature on the Cold War. Its content speaks for itself. Students and scholars alike should find it useful, and it should be mandatory reading in courses dealing with the Cold War.” · The European Legacy

“ [This volume] is a fascinating book which crosses the boundaries of diplomatic and intellectual history in provocative and thoughtful ways...The individual chapters are all exemplary studies in the history of ideas and the book is a thoroughly enjoyable, eye-opening read..."  ·  Contemporary European History

“This edited collection does an excellent job of overcoming [an] historiographical lacuna. What is initially striking is just how comprehensive ...[and] just how pioneering and impressive a collection this is…[marked] by the masterly scholarship, outstanding multi-archival research and accessible chapters that serve to make up this edited book [that] deserves to sit on the bookshelves of academics and students alike”  ·  European History Quarterly

“These essays give some interesting insight into the minds of their subjects but more importantly achieve the book’s objective of understanding more of the essence of the Cold War and its driving forces… Unlike many such volumes, this book is not merely a collection of different ideas held together loosely by a theme, but a carefully selected group of arguments structured using a combined chronological and thematic approach.”  ·  European Review of History—Revue européenne d’histoire

“This collection succeeds in adding a new aspect to the numerous analyses of the end of the Cold War…This excellent volume brings together, for the first time, a rich and multi-layered panorama of ideas of an alternative world order.”  ·  H-Net

“The book’s value lies in its multinational and archive-based perspective on individuals and groups who offered ideas on how to end the Cold War. Readers thus receive a panoramic view of the conflict. The book also points the way for future research on the “visions” of other countries, individuals, and institutions not covered here.”  ·  H-France

“As this pioneering [volume] clearly and convincingly highlights, perceptions were important, as they influenced foreign policy objectives, international relations and personal chemistry between leaders, strategies for anti-Communist movements and civil society as well as the memory of the Cold War and historical assessments of its leading figures. That the work is able to achieve this through a daunting format that balances 21 separate entries by distinguished scholars in the fields of history, political science and international relations is itself remarkable. The editors must be applauded for organizing the contributions…into a cohesive, chronologically structured work that traces visions of the Cold War from “George Kennan’s Course” to President Ronald Reagan’s American exceptionalism in succinct chapters.”  ·  Reviews & Critical Commentary (Council for European Studies)

“This is an excellent collection of articles on an extremely interesting subject. The multinational and multi-archival nature of the selections is very impressive, and it attests to the health and vitality of international relations research in today’s academy.  This is the type of book that should be examined by both policymakers and scholars, since it raises so many good and provocative questions about one of the most important events of our time, namely the end of the Cold War.”  ·  Thomas A. Schwartz, Vanderbilt University

“This is an outstanding, well integrated volume that is not only excellent as a history of the Cold War, but focuses on an issue hitherto unexplored in the discussions on the Cold War. [It] is a very good read by some outstanding scholars."  ·  Michael Cox, London School of Economics

"The editors have brought together an intriguing collection of essays. They explore visions of how the Cold War would end; the twist is that all of these visions were articulated before the actual end. The resulting essays shed light not only on the hopes and nightmares of participants, but also on the nature of the Cold War itself."  ·  Mary Elise Sarotte, University of Southern California

N. Piers Ludlow is a Reader in the Department of International History of the London School of Economics. He recently published The European Community and the Crises of the 1960s: Negotiating the Gaullist Challenge (2006).

Marie-Pierre Rey is Professor of Russian and Soviet History and Director of the Centre of Slavic Studies at the Sorbonne (University of Paris I). Her publications include Alexandre Ier, le tsar qui vainquit Napoléon (2009) and Europe and the End of the Cold War: A Reappraisal (ed., 2008).

Bernd Rother is a Historian at the Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt Foundation in Berlin. He is editor of Willy Brandt: Über Europa hinaus. Dritte Welt und Sozialistische Internationale(2006) and Willy Brandt: Gemeinsame Sicherheit. Internationale Beziehungen und deutsche Frage 1982-1992 (2009).