Synopses & Reviews
Covering the period from the end of the Second World War to the Millennium, this book offers an integrated overview of the history of Europe, east and west.
The volume opens with a discussion of the impact of the Second World War in Europe, demonstrating how the foundations of the post-war order were laid in the final phase of the war. It then proceeds chronologically through a detailed discussion of the Cold War, the divergent histories of eastern and western Europe between the 1950s and the 1980s, and the moves towards integration that accelerated as the century drew to a close. The author examines the rapid and dramatic changes in eastern Europe and the USSR that led to the end of the Cold War, and offers a new interpretation of the 1990s that focuses on the emergence of a united ‘Europe’ in the European Union, on the elusive quest for a ‘Third Way’, and on the political and economic transition in eastern Europe.
Review
"This splendidly comprehensive, clear, balanced and fluently written textbook should be a top choice on the growing number of courses on the second half of the twentieth century. Buchanan effectively elucidates the key economic, social and cultural issues and trends. His brief summaries on the salient defining intellectual and cultural developments are downright brilliant."
Choice"A refreshingly different take on European history. With this light and witty touch, Buchanan comes as close as anyone probably can to putting something for everyone into just about three hundred pages of European history. The themes are basic enough that Europe's Troubled Peace could conceivably be used to supplement an introductory survey, yet the details are there to intrigue upper-division students as well." Journal of Military History
"The remarkably clear text outlines the familiar social and political changes, by way of a sharp but complex narrative of 55 dramatic years of tension and growth." History Today
"Based on an impressive array of primary and secondary sources, Tom Buchanan’s text contains a remarkably concise, lucid, and judicious narrative that traces almost every major element of European history from the ruins of World War II to the tumult of the early 21st century. With vivid quotations and dollops of wit, Buchanan enlivens the political panorama; but he has also deftly underscored the essential economic, cultural, and social forces of change and continuity that have brought Europe from a divided continent to its new, still uncharted role in the world." Carole Fink, The Ohio State University
"Europe's Troubled Peaceis a lucid, comprehensive assessment of the old continent's remarkable recovery from the depths of destruction and despair after the Second World War. In particular, the book provides a very useful treatment of the important political, economic, and cultural developments within the major countries as they struggled to redefine their roles in Europe and the world during and after the Cold War." William R. Keylor, International History Institute, Boston University
"Buchanan's work is a broad synthesis that would work well as a textbook in undergraduate and graduate courses on modern and contemporary European history. Crisply and lucidly written, it does an admirable job of incorporating the latest historiographical insights on a diverse array of countries and issues." The International History Review
“Buchanan handles the balance between international and domestic political arenas extremely well, moving adeptly between the generalized narrative and particular countries.”
History Workshop Journal
Review
"Based on an impressive array of primary and secondary sources, Tom Buchanan’s text contains a remarkably concise, lucid, and judicious narrative that traces almost every major element of European history from the ruins of World War II to the tumult of the early 21st century. With vivid quotations and dollops of wit, Buchanan enlivens the political panorama; but he has also deftly underscored the essential economic, cultural, and social forces of change and continuity that have brought Europe from a divided continent to its new, still uncharted role in the world."
–Carole Fink, The Ohio State University
"Europe's Troubled Peace is a lucid, comprehensive assessment of the old continent's remarkable recovery from the depths of destruction and despair after the Second World War. In particular, the book provides a very useful treatment of the important political, economic, and cultural developments within the major countries as they struggled to redefine their roles in Europe and the world during and after the Cold War."
–William R. Keylor, International History Institute, Boston University
Synopsis
Covering the period from the end of the Second World War up to the Millennium, this book offers an integrated overview of the history of Europe, east and west, in the second half of the twentieth century.
Synopsis
Covering the period from the end of the Second World War up to the Millennium, this book offers an integrated overview of the history of Europe, east and west, in the second half of the twentieth century. The text:
- Deals not only with developments in politics, economics, and international relations, but also examines social and cultural trends
- Covers the history of central and eastern Europe in depth, as well as that of western Europe
- Describes the impact of the Second World War on Europe
- Discusses in detail the impact of the Cold War across the continent.
- Recounts the rapid and dramatic changes in eastern Europe and the USSR that led to the end of the Cold War
- Takes the reader right up to the end of the century, offering a new interpretation of Europe in the 1990s
About the Author
"This sophisticated and engaging narrative account of post-war European social and political change joins a long list of such volumes but rather stands out from the crowd as a notably well written and thought provoking piece." (
European History Quarterly, April 2009)
"This splendidly comprehensive, clear, balanced and fluently written textbook should be a top choice on the growing number of courses on the second half of the twentieth century. Buchanan effectively elucidates the key economic, social and cultural issues and trends. His brief summaries on the salient defining intellectual and cultural developments are downright brilliant." (Choice)
"A refreshingly different take on European history. With this light and witty touch, Buchanan comes as close as anyone probably can to putting something for everyone into just about three hundred pages of European history. The themes are basic enough that Europe's Troubled Peace could conceivably be used to supplement an introductory survey, yet the details are there to intrigue upper-division students as well." (Journal of Military History)
"The remarkably clear text outlines the familiar social and political changes, by way of a sharp but complex narrative of 55 dramatic years of tension and growth." (History Today)
"Buchanan's work is a broad synthesis that would work well as a textbook in undergraduate and graduate courses on modern and contemporary European history. Crisply and lucidly written, it does an admirable job of incorporating the latest historiographical insights on a diverse array of countries and issues." (The International History Review)
“Buchanan handles the balance between international and domestic political arenas extremely well, moving adeptly between the generalized narrative and particular countries.”(History Workshop Journal)
Table of Contents
List of Maps.
List of Illustrations.
Introduction: Europe’s Troubles.
1. The War and its Legacy.
2. Europe between the Powers, 1945--53.
3. Restoration, Reconstruction and Revolution: Europe 1945--50.
4. Consolidating Western Europe, 1950--1963.
5. Western Europe in the 1960s.
6. The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, from 1953 to the 1970s.
7. Europe in the 1970s: Downturn and Détente.
8. Western Europe in the 1980s: The era of Thatcher, Mitterrand and Kohl.
9. European Integration: from Rome to Maastricht (1957--1992).
10. The fall of the Communist regimes: The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, 1980--91.
11. Europe after the Cold War.
12. Conclusion.
Notes.
Guide to Further reading.
Index.