The World Since 1945
An International History
Published on 3. November 2016
Book
Hardback
584 pages
978-1-4725-2868-1 (ISBN)
Description
A masterly synthesis of the history of the contemporary world, The World Since 1945 offers the ideal introduction to the events of the period between the end of the Second World War and the present day. P. M. H. Bell and Mark Gilbert balance a clear narrative with in-depth analysis to guide the reader through the aftermath of the Second World War, the Cold War, decolonization, Detente and the Arab-Israeli Conflict, up to the on-going ethnic strife and political instability of the 21st century.
The new edition has been thoroughly revised to fully reflect developments in the history and historiography of the post-war world, and features five new chapters on the post-Cold War world, covering topics including:
- The rise and fall of American hegemony
- The decline of Europe
- The rise of Asia
- Political Islam as a global force
- The role of human rights
The World Since 1945 challenges us to better understand what happened and why in the post-war period and shows the ways in which the past continues to exercise a profound influence on the present. It is essential reading for any student of contemporary history.
The new edition has been thoroughly revised to fully reflect developments in the history and historiography of the post-war world, and features five new chapters on the post-Cold War world, covering topics including:
- The rise and fall of American hegemony
- The decline of Europe
- The rise of Asia
- Political Islam as a global force
- The role of human rights
The World Since 1945 challenges us to better understand what happened and why in the post-war period and shows the ways in which the past continues to exercise a profound influence on the present. It is essential reading for any student of contemporary history.
Reviews / Votes
The text is punctuated with pithy judgments about historical actors ... Crisp writing of this sort retains the reader's attention, whether undergraduates or old hands. The text's broad geographic range also offers unexpected rewards. I, admittedly not an African specialist, was especially struck by the detailed coverage of the Western Sahara dispute between Mauritania and Morocco, as well as Libyan and French involvement in Chad's civil wars. * Journal of Modern History * The literature on international history since 1945 has become so vast and elaborate during the past decades that we badly need a compact survey of the kind that Philip Bell and Mark Gilbert provide. This consistently reliable and highly readable book will help readers to understand the main events that shaped the world we live in today. * Kiran Klaus Patel, Maastricht University, the Netherlands * The authors of the second edition of The World since 1945 have done readers a great service. Out of the complicated history of our times, they have produced an impressively streamlined and accessible account. It is recommended for anyone wishing to understand more about the forces that produced today's world. * Mary Elise Sarotte, University of Southern California Dornsife, USA * There could be no better person than Mark Gilbert to help revise and bring up to date Philip Bell's classic account of post-1945 international history. The book's elegance of style, thematic coherence and mastery of the issues are all maintained, making it an essential purchase for students and specialists alike. * Christopher Hill, University of Cambridge, UK *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
20 bw illus
Dimensions
Height: 250 mm
Width: 175 mm
Thickness: 36 mm
Weight
1174 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4725-2868-1 (9781472528681)
DOI
CBID182986
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
P. M. H. Bell was formerly Reader in History at the University of Liverpool, UK.
Mark Gilbert is Professor of History and International Studies at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, USA.
Mark Gilbert is Professor of History and International Studies at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, USA.
Content
List of Maps
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Prologue: A New Era in International Politics
1. The Second World War and its consequences
2. The beginning of the post-war world
The Cold War, 1945-1962
3. The antagonists
4. From Potsdam to the Marshall Plan, 1945-47
5. From the Prague Coup to the North Atlantic Treaty, 1948-49
6. From Korea to Hungary, 1949-1956
7. The Berlin and Cuba Crises, 1957-1962
Reflection: The Cold War in its early phases
Decolonization and Wars of Succession, 1945-1960s
8. The Middle East, 1945-c. 1962
9. Transformation in Asia, 1945-1962
10. The New Africa
11. The Bandung Conference, 1955 and Non-alignment
12. Latin America Contested, 1945-1973
Reflection: The 'Third World'
The Cold War: Detente
13. The Cold War and Detente, 1963-1969
14. The high tide of detente, 1969-1975
15. The end of detente, 1976-1980
Reflection: The essence of detente
The Changing World Order, 1960s-1990s
16. The Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1963-1982
17. The Geopolitics of Oil, 1973-91
18. The Rise of Asia, c.1962-1990s
19. Turmoil in Africa, c.1962-1990s
20. Latin America in World Affairs, 1970s-1990s
Reflection: Where is Europe?
The Ending of the Cold War
21. Renewed Cold War, 1980-85
22. Gorbachev and Reagan, 1985-88
23. Three years that shook the world, 1989-91
Reflection: The Cold War in Retrospect
After the Cold War
24. Global Issues
25. Nationalism, Political Conflict, and War in Europe
26. The Wounded Hegemon
27. Democracy and Human Rights
Further reading
Index
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Prologue: A New Era in International Politics
1. The Second World War and its consequences
2. The beginning of the post-war world
The Cold War, 1945-1962
3. The antagonists
4. From Potsdam to the Marshall Plan, 1945-47
5. From the Prague Coup to the North Atlantic Treaty, 1948-49
6. From Korea to Hungary, 1949-1956
7. The Berlin and Cuba Crises, 1957-1962
Reflection: The Cold War in its early phases
Decolonization and Wars of Succession, 1945-1960s
8. The Middle East, 1945-c. 1962
9. Transformation in Asia, 1945-1962
10. The New Africa
11. The Bandung Conference, 1955 and Non-alignment
12. Latin America Contested, 1945-1973
Reflection: The 'Third World'
The Cold War: Detente
13. The Cold War and Detente, 1963-1969
14. The high tide of detente, 1969-1975
15. The end of detente, 1976-1980
Reflection: The essence of detente
The Changing World Order, 1960s-1990s
16. The Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1963-1982
17. The Geopolitics of Oil, 1973-91
18. The Rise of Asia, c.1962-1990s
19. Turmoil in Africa, c.1962-1990s
20. Latin America in World Affairs, 1970s-1990s
Reflection: Where is Europe?
The Ending of the Cold War
21. Renewed Cold War, 1980-85
22. Gorbachev and Reagan, 1985-88
23. Three years that shook the world, 1989-91
Reflection: The Cold War in Retrospect
After the Cold War
24. Global Issues
25. Nationalism, Political Conflict, and War in Europe
26. The Wounded Hegemon
27. Democracy and Human Rights
Further reading
Index