Just how did the Cold War end?
We reveal all in the fascinating conclusion to the Cold War series.
The Cold War was international affairs for the second half of the 20th century. Nuclear weapons testing, civil wars in all corners of the globe and the race for economic dominance were all key spheres of the Cold War, although they were just a few elements of a very complex global puzzle. More so than the great battles between Carthage and Rome in Ancient times or the Napoleonic Wars, the Cold War defined our world. But, there was one key difference between the Cold War and earlier major wars. Due to advances in technology and communications, the Cold War touched most countries on earth.
This introduction to the end of the Cold War tells the story of the great clash between the communist Soviet Union and the capitalist USA. It considers events at a time of ever-faster change. Following the relative calm of the Détente years, the world became much more dangerous. After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan a new and very assertive US president arrived who would seek to radically alter the international order. And soon enough a new Soviet leader would arrive and lead a great change in the international system. The biggest change since World War Two…
The topics in the book include:
- The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
- The rise of US President Ronald Reagan and his aggression in the early 1980s
- How Mikhail Gorbachev became Soviet leader
- The most important nuclear treaties made during the Cold War
- The surprising friendship between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev
- Great internal changes in the Soviet Union and wider Eastern Bloc
- How the Cold War ended
The approximately 90-page book is the perfect complement to the Cold War History audio series that is available as part of the ‘History in 28-minutes’ podcasts.
Required History
The aim of the ‘Required History’ book series is to create approachable, succinct written introductions to some of the most interesting topics in history. They are designed for those:
- That want to quickly learn about some of the world’s major historical events
- Studying history. The books act as a perfect complement and overview to those undertaking high school and introductory college courses in history
- Who enjoyed the audio podcasts and want to reinforce and further their knowledge
- Learning English. The language and level of detail in the books are perfect for those in advanced English classes
All of the Required History books are designed to build on the audio podcasts available on the publisher’s website. They provide an extra layer of detail to the major historical events that the audio podcasts cover.