| Synopsis: |
The early Cold War saw a complete transformation of the international system with the emergence of two superpowers, the decline of the European empires, the rise of Communist China and the formation of new states in the post-colonial world. In this collection of essays these massive changes are viewed through the eyes of fifteen of the major political leaders who were caught up in the process and helped to shape it. The focus on individuals allows the global transformation of power relations to be understood together with the distinctive elements of different societies, cultures and ideologies. Te mental maps of Stalin, Truman, Bevin, de Gaulle, Adenauer, Gomulka, Tito, Mao, Ho Chi Minh, Nehru, Nasser, Castro, Kennedy and Johnson, and Khrushchev provide fascinating insights into the opportunities and constraints felt by the leaders of the superpowers, the European states scarred by the horrors of two world wars, Communist China and the new states of the developing world. |