This is an authoritative work on the origins of the cold war, taken from the point of view of the Truman administration, his civilian planners and military leaders. "A Preponderance of Power" magnifies global issues seen from the viewpoint of the architects of the United States system from post WWII until 1953. Many declassified documents are sourced and cited to provide a ground up context and used to accurately summarize the frame of mind of the men at foggy bottom; congress, the CIA, American military allies and political colleagues. Unfortunately and perhaps obviously, this work does not take into account Soviet thinking or their macro-political strategy, so this work is in essence only half of a complete picture. Yet this volume is literally an exhaustive and impressive account of aligned US posture. "A Preponderance of Power" explains why the post WWII globe developed as it did in economic, sociopolitical and military context; manipulated and effected by the United States hegemony.
"A Preponderance of Power" provides many crucial insights that I have not yet been able to find in other volumes on the same topic. It is written with a completely non biased, facts based honesty that is worthy of congratulations. The author is to be commended for this spectacular level of research, making clear ambiguous often contradictory trends in global power politics and military expenditure. This is the standard source of information concerning cold war origins, it is a premium source of information and definitely worthwhile reading.
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Delivery rates and Return policy A Preponderance of Power: National Security, the Truman Administration, and the Cold War Paperback – 1 July 1993
by
Melvyn P. Leffler
(Author)
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This is the most comprehensive history to date of the Truman Administration's progressive embroilment in the cold war, and it presents a stunning new interpretation of U.S. national security policy during the formative stages of the Soviet-American rivalry. Illustrated with 15 halftones and 10 maps.
- Print length712 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication date1 July 1993
- ISBN-100804722188
- ISBN-13978-0804722186
Product description
Review
"Magisterial . . . This book is without question a major achievement. It is a masterly work of synthesis, weaving together in a single coherent study the various and often contradictory trends in previous historical writing on the Cold War's origins. It is indefatigably researched . . . and most important, it is an intellectually honest work. . . . A fine book."―The Atlantic
"A brilliant new book. . . . An invaluable contribution."―The Nation
"The best book to date on the Truman administration and the origins of the Cold War."―Detroit Free Press
"A brilliant new book. . . . An invaluable contribution."―The Nation
"The best book to date on the Truman administration and the origins of the Cold War."―Detroit Free Press
From the Back Cover
"Magisterial . . . This book is without question a major achievement. It is a masterly work of synthesis, weaving together in a single coherent study the various and often contradictory trends in previous historical writing on the Cold War's origins. It is indefatigably researched . . . and most important, it is an intellectually honest work. . . . A fine book."--The Atlantic
"A brilliant new book. . . . An invaluable contribution."--The Nation
"A brilliant new book. . . . An invaluable contribution."--The Nation
About the Author
Melvyn P. Leffler is Professor of History at the University of Virginia.
Product details
- Language : English
- Paperback : 712 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0804722188
- ISBN-13 : 978-0804722186
- Customer reviews:
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Tom Munro
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good new history
Reviewed in the United States on 13 July 2011Verified Purchase
This book is the first to take an analytical approach to the history of the era. It doesn't start out with who caused what. What it does is to look at the comparative strengths of the players and what caused the US to behave as it did.
At the end of WW2 the US had the strongest economy in the world. It had the world's largest air force with strategic bombers. It also had a large stock of nuclear weapons. The US also had a number of bases which potentially allowed it to attack the Soviet Union with nuclear weapons if war broke out. The US also had the power to win a war of attrition. They could not only out produce the Soviets but they had the ability to destroy vital sectors of their economy such as oil production.
The major threat faced by the US was not a military threat but rather the potential of major European States going communist by either internal revolution or by the election of fellow traveler governments.(As happened in Czechoslovakia) Immediately after the war the European Economy was in chaos. There were food shortages and the effect of the war was to destroy infrastructure and industry. The first move the Americans was to intervene in Europe to rebuild the economy. With a buoyant growing economy the risk of Europe going communist was reduced. The US also intervened to support anti-communist parties in places such as Italy. The US also moved re-arm West Germany and Japan as potential allies.
The response of the Soviets appears to be one of caution. It appears that the Soviet leadership did not want war and their assessment was that they would lose any hot war. On the other hand they did react to the US strategy of containment. They armed the East European satellites to bolster their conventional military forces. The book is at pains to point out that the Soviets were not unthinkingly aggressive. They allowed Finland and Austria to be independent. They withdrew their forces from Norway and Iran. They also did not push the Berlin blockade after the Americans responded with the air-lift.
The book is also somewhat critical of US policy to the third world. These criticisms have been made before. They are that the US tended to confuse nationalist and anti imperial movements with communist infiltration. The reality was that after the war the Soviets and the Chinese were two weak to be able to project their power through Asia effectively. The US ended up supporting a large number of corrupt and dictatorial regimes in the name of anti-communism.
Previous histories of the cold war have been largely chronological with large amounts of value judgments incorporated into the narrative. Early histories of the cold war saw the US as defending the world against the potential expansion of a communist system based on totalitarianism. Some revisionist histories saw US actions as precipitating the conflict as the provoked the Soviets.
This book is good as it is not laden with the moral message. The book of course agrees that the US actions in re-starting the European economy were hugely beneficial. It is also clear that containing the communist system was a reasonable goal. However it has no central moral message it is simply the account of the power balance and how that balance led to the US policy of the time and the Soviet response.
At the end of WW2 the US had the strongest economy in the world. It had the world's largest air force with strategic bombers. It also had a large stock of nuclear weapons. The US also had a number of bases which potentially allowed it to attack the Soviet Union with nuclear weapons if war broke out. The US also had the power to win a war of attrition. They could not only out produce the Soviets but they had the ability to destroy vital sectors of their economy such as oil production.
The major threat faced by the US was not a military threat but rather the potential of major European States going communist by either internal revolution or by the election of fellow traveler governments.(As happened in Czechoslovakia) Immediately after the war the European Economy was in chaos. There were food shortages and the effect of the war was to destroy infrastructure and industry. The first move the Americans was to intervene in Europe to rebuild the economy. With a buoyant growing economy the risk of Europe going communist was reduced. The US also intervened to support anti-communist parties in places such as Italy. The US also moved re-arm West Germany and Japan as potential allies.
The response of the Soviets appears to be one of caution. It appears that the Soviet leadership did not want war and their assessment was that they would lose any hot war. On the other hand they did react to the US strategy of containment. They armed the East European satellites to bolster their conventional military forces. The book is at pains to point out that the Soviets were not unthinkingly aggressive. They allowed Finland and Austria to be independent. They withdrew their forces from Norway and Iran. They also did not push the Berlin blockade after the Americans responded with the air-lift.
The book is also somewhat critical of US policy to the third world. These criticisms have been made before. They are that the US tended to confuse nationalist and anti imperial movements with communist infiltration. The reality was that after the war the Soviets and the Chinese were two weak to be able to project their power through Asia effectively. The US ended up supporting a large number of corrupt and dictatorial regimes in the name of anti-communism.
Previous histories of the cold war have been largely chronological with large amounts of value judgments incorporated into the narrative. Early histories of the cold war saw the US as defending the world against the potential expansion of a communist system based on totalitarianism. Some revisionist histories saw US actions as precipitating the conflict as the provoked the Soviets.
This book is good as it is not laden with the moral message. The book of course agrees that the US actions in re-starting the European economy were hugely beneficial. It is also clear that containing the communist system was a reasonable goal. However it has no central moral message it is simply the account of the power balance and how that balance led to the US policy of the time and the Soviet response.
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spchlgr 3985
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Captivating, intersesting, and thought provoking book.
Reviewed in the United States on 30 September 2007Verified Purchase
I found this book to be very interesting and thought provoking. It captured and held my interest from the beginning. To fully understand this book it is essential to have some background about the cold war, its origin and the key players in both the Soviet Union and the Truman Administration.
Marvin Leffler does an outstanding job explaining the origin of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) one the most successful alliances that have endured while other have formed and dissolved. In A Preponderance of Power you will understand how the Marshall Plan or as some know it, The European Recovery Plan, rescued Europe from the twin specters of starvation and Communism. In the book you will learn about key players such as George C. Marshall, a five-star Army general who became the Secretary of State in some of the most critical days of the Cold War and Secretary of Defense in the Korean War. There is also Dean Rusk, a former Rhodes Scholar who possessed a substantial interest in the interlocking nature of political-military affairs.
Yes, this book is a monumental achievement. I intend to purchase Leffler's latest book, For the Soul of Mankind, The Soviet Union, the United States and the Cold War
Marvin Leffler does an outstanding job explaining the origin of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) one the most successful alliances that have endured while other have formed and dissolved. In A Preponderance of Power you will understand how the Marshall Plan or as some know it, The European Recovery Plan, rescued Europe from the twin specters of starvation and Communism. In the book you will learn about key players such as George C. Marshall, a five-star Army general who became the Secretary of State in some of the most critical days of the Cold War and Secretary of Defense in the Korean War. There is also Dean Rusk, a former Rhodes Scholar who possessed a substantial interest in the interlocking nature of political-military affairs.
Yes, this book is a monumental achievement. I intend to purchase Leffler's latest book, For the Soul of Mankind, The Soviet Union, the United States and the Cold War
8 people found this helpful
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WebSkipper
5.0 out of 5 stars
If your question is "WHY?" then here are your answers!
Reviewed in the United States on 16 July 2016Verified Purchase
If the QUESTION is "Why is America the way it is?" then this book explains the answers very clearly and in splendid detail. It has literally everything you always wanted to know about U.S. post-WW2 foreign policy, but didn't know who to ask.
One person found this helpful
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