Cold War History (1945-1991)

Author: Liu Jinzhi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The original plan for writing The Cold War History included Professor Fang Lianqing and Associate Professor Sha Xiaoming as co-authors. Due to Professor Fang Lianqing's heavy teaching and research responsibilities, he later withdrew from the project. Associate Professor Zhang Xiaoming, as a Fulbright visiting scholar, went to the United States to conduct research at Harvard University. Before leaving, he submitted preliminary drafts of chapters 7, 8, 9, and 10 from the original outline. Based on the needs, the author revised and re-wrote these sections. To respect the original authors' work, this book retains approximately 40,000 words of their content. The author sincerely thanks Professor Fang Lianqing and Associate Professor Zhang Xiaoming for their participation and cooperation, as well as the hard work they contributed.
This book primarily focuses on the history of the Cold War, and during the writing process, attention was paid to several aspects.
1. Combining historical analysis with narrative, prioritizing history while incorporating analysis.
2. Researching the Cold War, with its origins being a key focus. Scholars from China and abroad have conducted various analyses, leading to diverse and conflicting views. This book includes an appendix for commentary and discussion.
3. Emphasizing the investigation and substantiation of historical documents, particularly U.S. and Soviet official documents, including foreign strategies and policies.
4. Examining the relationship between domestic affairs and foreign policy. Domestic social, political, and economic development serves as the foundation for foreign policy implementation. Foreign policy is an extension of domestic politics and policies. At the same time, attention is paid to how changes and developments in the international environment have impacted U.S. and Soviet foreign policy, placing the relationship between the U.S., the Soviet Union, and the two military-political blocs within the broader context of international politics.
5. Conducting comparative analysis.
6. Highlighting key points and conducting in-depth case studies.
7. Building on extensive research and incorporating the achievements of scholars both domestically and internationally, the book seeks to explore the Cold War from new perspectives, providing more accurate and convincing analyses and conclusions.
This book attempts to elaborate on and analyze the origins, development, and end of the Cold War from multiple levels, angles, and domains.