William E. Odom retired in 1988 as a lieutenant general in the United States Army and as director of the National Security Agency. He is currently director of national security studies at the Hudson Institute and an adjunct professor of political science at Yale University.

"America's premier expert on Soviet military affairs has produced a seminal work of far-reaching political and strategic importance. Indispensable to an understanding not only of the current stage of the Russian military but also of the wider geostrategic implications of Russia's current condition." Zbigniew Brzezinski "A superb and comprehensive study that will stand as a major pillar in support of a thorough understanding of the Gorbachev period and the collapse of the Soviet Union. It also provides needed perspective for the evaluation of the problems confronting the Russian military today." Walter C. Uhler, Philadelphia Inquirer "Essential reading for everyone who wants to understand why America's Cold War rival acted the way it did and what caused that opponent to become a colossus with feet of clay." W. Bruce Lincoln, Washington Post Book World "Odom's book...opinionated and...exciting sees the dissolution of the Union as intimately linked to military collapse." John Lloyd, Financial Times

William E. Odom retired in 1988 as a lieutenant general in the United States Army and as director of the National Security Agency. He is currently director of national security studies at the Hudson Institute and an adjunct professor of political science at Yale University.

"America's premier expert on Soviet military affairs has produced a seminal work of far-reaching political and strategic importance. Indispensable to an understanding not only of the current stage of the Russian military but also of the wider geostrategic implications of Russia's current condition." Zbigniew Brzezinski "A superb and comprehensive study that will stand as a major pillar in support of a thorough understanding of the Gorbachev period and the collapse of the Soviet Union. It also provides needed perspective for the evaluation of the problems confronting the Russian military today." Walter C. Uhler, Philadelphia Inquirer "Essential reading for everyone who wants to understand why America's Cold War rival acted the way it did and what caused that opponent to become a colossus with feet of clay." W. Bruce Lincoln, Washington Post Book World "Odom's book...opinionated and...exciting sees the dissolution of the Union as intimately linked to military collapse." John Lloyd, Financial Times

William E. Odom retired in 1988 as a lieutenant general in the United States Army and as director of the National Security Agency. He is currently director of national security studies at the Hudson Institute and an adjunct professor of political science at Yale University.

"America's premier expert on Soviet military affairs has produced a seminal work of far-reaching political and strategic importance. Indispensable to an understanding not only of the current stage of the Russian military but also of the wider geostrategic implications of Russia's current condition." Zbigniew Brzezinski "A superb and comprehensive study that will stand as a major pillar in support of a thorough understanding of the Gorbachev period and the collapse of the Soviet Union. It also provides needed perspective for the evaluation of the problems confronting the Russian military today." Walter C. Uhler, Philadelphia Inquirer "Essential reading for everyone who wants to understand why America's Cold War rival acted the way it did and what caused that opponent to become a colossus with feet of clay." W. Bruce Lincoln, Washington Post Book World "Odom's book...opinionated and...exciting sees the dissolution of the Union as intimately linked to military collapse." John Lloyd, Financial Times