"So much has been said and written about the end of the cold war that it is difficult to gain perspective on the events that shaped it and its end. This excellent volume offers a remedy. The authors run the gamut from Noam Chomsky to Samuel Wells, Jr., and the interpretations of its beginnings and what has happened since 1989 fall along the same political spectrum. The writing is lively, lucid, intelligent, and accessible; the points of view refreshing and insightful." Current History

• Preface; The authors; 1. Introduction Michael J. Hogan; 2. An end to which Cold War? Walter LaFeber; 3. The Cold War, the Long Peace, and the future John Lewis Gaddis; 4. Quiet cataclysm: some afterthoughts on World War II John Mueller; 5. Some lessons from the Cold War Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr; 6. Nuclear Weapons and European security during the Cold War Samuel F. Wells, Jr; 7. Victory in the postwar era: despite the Cold War or because of it? Alexei Filitov; 8. The wicked witch of the West is gone. Long live the wicked witch of the East Bruce Cumings; 9. The end and the beginning Ronald Steel; 10. A balance sheet: Lippmann, Kennan and the Cold War Richard J. Barnet; 11. Why did the Cold War arise, and why did it end? Raymond L. Garthoff; 12. A view from below Noam Chomsky; 13. The end of the Cold War in the Middle East Nikki R. Keddie; 14. The end of the Cold War in the Near East: what it means for historians and policy planners Bruce R. Kuniholm; 15. After the Cold War: the United States, Germany, and European security Hermann-Josef Rupieper; 16. The end of the Cold War: a sceptical view Denise Artaud; 17. The end of the Cold War, the new role for Europe and the decline of the United States Geir Lundestad; 18. The fading of the Cold War and the demystification of twentieth century issues Gar Alperovitz and Kai Bird; 19. The US government, a legacy of the Cold War Ernest R. May; 20. Foreign policy, partisan politics and the end of the Cold War Michael J. Hogan; 21. Beyond polarity in space and time David Reynolds; 22. A usable past for the future Robert Jervis.