“The Cold War: A New History” by John Gaddis

Summary

Examining political interactions in the global arena provides substantial evidence for the further analysis of key successes and mistakes. Thus, opportunities for avoiding similar issues and reinforcing chances for future improvements in international relations can be pursued. In his book, “The Cold War: A New History,” John Gaddis sheds light on one of the most infamous and exhausting confrontations of the 20^th century. Although the book offers a thorough and accurate summary of the key events that transpired during the Cold War, it suffers from the lack of a new perspective on the subject matter.

Thesis

Examining the phenomenon of the Cold War, Gaddis remains rather conservative in his exploration of the subject matter. Specifically, the main statement that he seeks to prove can be summarized as the unwavering power of the free market and its undeniable role in the U.S. overpowering the Soviet Union and ultimately defeating it. For instance, Gaddis states unequivocally that the political, economic, and social superiority of the U.S. was undeniable at the time: “Despite the legacy of slavery, the near extermination of Native Americans, and persistent racial, sexual, and social discrimination, the citizens of the United States could plausibly claim, in 1945, to live in the freest society on the face of the earth.”¹ The specified statement, while admittedly being a product of its time, still represents an overly simplified perspective on the phenomenon at hand, which leaves the reader waiting for a more nuanced analysis.

Sources

Remarkably, the range of sources that Gaddis has incorporated into his book is undeniably vast, including multiple genres and works of different sizes and scales. For instance, the book contains references to documentaries containing interviews with people who have either actively participated in the Cold War or actively contributed to its management. The specified addition to the list of references substantively contributes to the reliability and trustworthiness of Gaddis’s claims. Furthermore, “The Cold War: A New History” references a plethora of official documents that contain critical information regarding the development of the Cold War. Thus, the book’s credibility increases, elevating it to the status of legitimate research. Books and unpublished materials, while being less credible, also contribute to the power of the overall impression that the book produces. Finally, photographs and maps included in the range of evidence and cited accordingly illustrating the author’s point more accurately.

Supporting Material

Though there are certain criticisms in regard to how Gaddis has approached the topic, his use of the available information, particularly, the supporting evidence, is quite commendable. Namely, the author features not only information summarized form other sources and arranged in a way that is palatable to the reader, but also direct quotes from the people who played the key roles in the emergence and development of the Cold War. For instance, Gaddis quotes Soviet leaders such as Stalin profusely in order to paint a detailed picture of the prerequisites o the situation observed in the global political arena in the50s and 60s: “The alliance between ourselves and the democratic faction of the capitalists succeeds because the latter had an interest in preventing Hitler’s domination,” Stalin commented as the war was coming to a close.”² The specified approach to using the core evidence and the essential supporting material allows Gaddis to introduce the reader to the core concerns in an engaging and effective way.

Themes and Ideas

The main idea that Gaddis seeks to convey in his book is that one of the inherent superiorities of the political and economic model of the U.S. should be regarded as the primary reason for the U.S. to have won in the Cold War. While the general idea that the specified statement conveys is overall accurate, the simplified manner in which the message in question is delivered slightly reduces the value of the work. Nonetheless, the author should be credited for representing his key idea in a clear and precise manner.

Approachability

While the subject matter that Gaddis tackles in his work is quite complex, he makes it surprisingly palatable. Therefore, the book can be considered very approachable and accessible for an average reader. Though the specified characteristic of “The Cold War: A New History” could be seen as a direct effect of the simplified approach that the author undertook and the biases associated with it, the book should be recognized for its appeal to the general audiences and scholars alike.

Despite rendering the key events that market the emergence, development, and end of the Cold War, Gaddis’ book fails to impress the reader due to the lackluster approach toward addressing the key events and people involved. As a result, the book turns out to be quite underwhelming, which quite surprising is given the increased extent of curiosity that general audiences typically display toward the issue of the Cold War.³ Therefore, while the author should be credited for the effort to render the main issues regarding the infamous conflict, the book clearly suffers from the absence of a unique angle.

Bibliography

Gaddis, John. The Cold War: A New History. Penguin Books, 2006. Kindle.

Footnotes

1. Lewis Gaddis, The Cold War: A New History (Penguin Books, 2006): Chapter 1, Part I.
2. Lewis Gaddis, The Cold War: A New History (Penguin Books, 2006): Chapter 1, Part 2
3. Lewis Gaddis, The Cold War: A New History (Penguin Books, 2006): Chapter 2.