
The Long Detente
Changing Concepts of Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1950s-1980s
Central European University Press
Published on 10. February 2017
Book
Hardback
370 pages
978-963-386-127-1 (ISBN)
Description
This book presents pieces of evidence, which - taken together - lead to an argument that goes against the grain of the established Cold War narrative. The argument is that a "long detente" existed between East and West from the 1950s to the 1980s, that it existed and lasted for good (economic, national security, societal) reasons, and that it had a profound impact on the outcome of the conflict between East and West and the quintessentially peaceful framework in which this "endgame" was played. New, Euro-centered narratives are offered, including both West and East European perspectives. These contributions point to critical inconsistencies and inherent problems in the traditional U.S. dominated narrative of the "Victory in the Cold War." The argument of a "long detente" does not need to replace the ruling American narrative. Rather, it can and needs to be augmented with European experiences and perceptions. After all, it was Europe - its peoples, societies, and states - that stood both at the ideological and military frontline of the conflict between East and West, and it was here that the struggle between liberalism and communism was eventually decided.
Reviews / Votes
"The volume offers a corrective via a Eurocentric narrative that examines economic and political overtures dating to the early 1950s between European countries and the Eastern bloc. Chapters dealing with these matters are well researched and offer insight into episodes (like the Moscow International Economic Conference) that are little studied. As a volume on European diplomacy from the 1950s to the 1980s it is a fine contribution to the literature." * Choice * "Oliver Bange und Poul Villaume wollen zusammen mit anderen Autorinnen und Autoren ihres Sammelbandes das Bild des Ost-West-Konflikts nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg grundlegend veraendern. Weit laenger als nach bisheriger Ansicht habe Entspannung - die "antagonistische Zusammenarbeit" zwischen den beiden ideologischen und gesellschaftlichen Lagern und das Bemuehen um eine kooperative Form des Wettstreits - das Verhaeltnis bestimmt. Zudem sei der 'Kalte Krieg' - verstanden als 'politischer, wirtschaftlicher und kommunikativer Autismus' sowie als Konfrontation unter Einsatz auch wirtschaftlicher und militaerischer Potenziale - weniger dauerhaft und wichtig gewesen als bisher behauptet. Beides habe schon immer parallel zueinander in einem je nach Zeit und Akteur unterschiedlichen Ausmass existiert. Insgesamt bietet der Band dem kritischen und sachkundigen Leser eine Fuelle wichtiger Informationen und Erklaerungen zu zentralen Fragen des Ost-West-Konflikts nach Stalins Tod, der Entwicklung des militaerischen Kraefteverhaeltnisses zwischen NATO und Warschauer Pakt in der Spaetphase." * Jahrbuecher fuer Geschichte Osteuropas * "Poul Villaume er en engasjert kritiker av den supermakts- og amerikansk-dominerte fremstillingen av den kalde krigen. Han mener den har gjort detente til 'something of a swearword and even, as it seems, a taboo topic in international and especially Anglo-American mainstream historiography of the Cold War... At worst, detente and with it an influential era of that momentous conflict between societal systems is hardly mentioned at all.' Villaume og Bange knytter det de finner er en systematisk neglisjering av detente, til triumfalistenes fortolkning av slutten pa den kalde krigen. Bange og Villaume papeker at dersom detente neglisjeres eller defineres ut av historien, gir det ikke mening a snakke om den andre kalde krigen. De folger opp med a sporre om hvordan det kunne ha seg, dersom detente brot sammen pa slutten av 1970-tallet og ble erstat-tet av en ny kald krig, at konfliktene mellom supennaktblokkene ledet til fredelig avslutning pa konfliktene bare fa ar senere." -- Helge Pharo * Historisk Tidsskrift *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
Hungary
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Academic
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
689 gr
ISBN-13
978-963-386-127-1 (9789633861271)
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
Other editions
Additional editions

Poul Villaume | Oliver Bange
The Long Detente
Changing Concepts of Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1950s-1980s
E-Book
02/2017
Central European University Press
€98.99
Available for download

Oliver Bange | Poul Villaume
The Long Detente
Changing Concepts of Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1950s-1980s
E-Book
02/2017
Central European University Press
€63.99
Available for download
Persons
Oliver Bange is senior historian at the Centre for Military History and Social Sciences, German Armed Forces, in Potsdam and lecturer at the University of Mannheim.
Poul Villaume is professor of contemporary history at the Saxo Institute, University of Copenhagen.
Poul Villaume is professor of contemporary history at the Saxo Institute, University of Copenhagen.
Content
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Introduction
Oliver Bange and Poul Villaume
PART I: Long Perspectives On Detente
1 East-West Conflict: Short Cold War and Long Detente
An Essay on Terminology and Periodization
Gottfried Niedhart
2 The Long Detente and the Soviet Bloc, 1953-1983
Csaba Bekes
PART II: East-West Trade
1 Soviet Snowdrops in the Ice Age?
The Surprising Attempt of an Early Economic Detente in 1952
Mikhail Lipkin
2 European Long-Term Investments in Detente
The Implications of East-West Economic Cooperation
Werner Lippert
PART III: The Inextractability of External and Domestic Security
1 No End to "Political Ideological Diversion"
The Stasi Perspective as Circumstantial Evidence for a Long Detente
Oliver Bange
2 New Security Concepts and Transnational Party Networks, 1976-1983.
The Socialist International, Scandilux, and the Overcoming of the Crisis of Detente
Rasmus Mariager
PART IV: Detente in Europe: Change in Perceptions
1 Continuity and Transformation
Alternate Visions of Italy's Three Decades of Detente
Laura Fasanaro
2 Perception of the Other: "Kremlinologists" and "Westerners"
East and West German Analysts and Their Mutual Perceptions, 1977-1985
Sabine Loewe-Hannatzsch
PART V: Detente in Europe: Change in Diplomatic Framings
1 Pathfinders and Perpetuators of Detente
Small States of NATO and the Long Detente: The Case of Denmark, 1969-1989
Poul Villaume
2 Overcoming the Crisis of Detente, 1979?1983
Coordinating Eastern Policies between Paris, Bonn, and London
Christian Wenkel
PART VI: The U.S. Story: from Cooperation to Confrontation and Back
1 Lyndon B. Johnson and the Building of East-West Bridges
Catching Up with Detente in Europe, 1963-1966
Gry Thomasen
2 Between Power Politics and Morality
The United States, the Long Detente, and the Transformation of Europe, 1969-1985
Stephan Kieninger
Select Bibliography
Index
About the Editors and Contributors
Introduction
Oliver Bange and Poul Villaume
PART I: Long Perspectives On Detente
1 East-West Conflict: Short Cold War and Long Detente
An Essay on Terminology and Periodization
Gottfried Niedhart
2 The Long Detente and the Soviet Bloc, 1953-1983
Csaba Bekes
PART II: East-West Trade
1 Soviet Snowdrops in the Ice Age?
The Surprising Attempt of an Early Economic Detente in 1952
Mikhail Lipkin
2 European Long-Term Investments in Detente
The Implications of East-West Economic Cooperation
Werner Lippert
PART III: The Inextractability of External and Domestic Security
1 No End to "Political Ideological Diversion"
The Stasi Perspective as Circumstantial Evidence for a Long Detente
Oliver Bange
2 New Security Concepts and Transnational Party Networks, 1976-1983.
The Socialist International, Scandilux, and the Overcoming of the Crisis of Detente
Rasmus Mariager
PART IV: Detente in Europe: Change in Perceptions
1 Continuity and Transformation
Alternate Visions of Italy's Three Decades of Detente
Laura Fasanaro
2 Perception of the Other: "Kremlinologists" and "Westerners"
East and West German Analysts and Their Mutual Perceptions, 1977-1985
Sabine Loewe-Hannatzsch
PART V: Detente in Europe: Change in Diplomatic Framings
1 Pathfinders and Perpetuators of Detente
Small States of NATO and the Long Detente: The Case of Denmark, 1969-1989
Poul Villaume
2 Overcoming the Crisis of Detente, 1979?1983
Coordinating Eastern Policies between Paris, Bonn, and London
Christian Wenkel
PART VI: The U.S. Story: from Cooperation to Confrontation and Back
1 Lyndon B. Johnson and the Building of East-West Bridges
Catching Up with Detente in Europe, 1963-1966
Gry Thomasen
2 Between Power Politics and Morality
The United States, the Long Detente, and the Transformation of Europe, 1969-1985
Stephan Kieninger
Select Bibliography
Index
About the Editors and Contributors