Anne Deighton – författare

The Impossible Peace offers a new interpretation of the British Government's policy towards Germany in the years immediately following the Second World War, and reassesses the part played by Britain in the collapse of the Grand Alliance and the development of what came to be known as the Cold War.

Controversy surrounds the construction of postwar European institutions. Did West European states simply respond to American pressure and Cold-War politics? How important was federalist idealism, as opposed to economic and power political factors to decision-makers? These studies, by an international team of historians, examine the motivations of national political leaders and their officials. Topics covered include British and French officials, European integration and military policies; German, Italian, Belgian and Dutch attitudes; Britain and the first attempt to join the EEC; and the covert relationship between the USA and the European federalists.

This collection challenges views of the Cold War as a purely bipolar affair, involving only the United States and the Soviet Union. It shows that Britain took a lead and continued to play an part in a drive to contain communism and that she tried to keep her own position as a great world power.