<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: The best Cold-War book.
Review: I've read quite a few Cold-War books, and this is the best of the lot.Friedman gives much more analysis and detail than most of the others go into. Notably lacking in other texts, but making up the first several chapters of this one, Friedman discusses and dissects the Stalinist society of pre- to post-WW2; this is an important foundation for understanding the Soviets, and the other books (mostly liberal-apoligist) can't bear to admit the evils perpetuated in Stalin's name. As a second example, Friedman also covers quite well the horrible, but often glossed-over, mistakes of the Kennedy-Johnson-McNamara years, especially the fallacies of Johnson's Vietnam policy. This book covers, in both depth and breadth, more than the others, and is not afraid to say what needs to be said.
Rating:
Summary: The best Cold-War book.
Review: I've read quite a few Cold-War books, and this is the best of the lot. Friedman gives much more analysis and detail than most of the others go into. Notably lacking in other texts, but making up the first several chapters of this one, Friedman discusses and dissects the Stalinist society of pre- to post-WW2; this is an important foundation for understanding the Soviets, and the other books (mostly liberal-apoligist) can't bear to admit the evils perpetuated in Stalin's name. As a second example, Friedman also covers quite well the horrible, but often glossed-over, mistakes of the Kennedy-Johnson-McNamara years, especially the fallacies of Johnson's Vietnam policy. This book covers, in both depth and breadth, more than the others, and is not afraid to say what needs to be said.
Rating:
Summary: just now entering post-Cold War era
Review: The post-Cold War world began on September 11, 2001. What came before? You think you know: after all you were alive then, right? Well, maybe. The passage of time and the opening of the FSU archives create an opportunity for a thorough and knowledgable reexaamination of the entire conflict. Eisenhower comes across as a tough old buzzard who saw the "missile gap" as an Air Force lobbying campaign. The focus, however, is on Reagan, the man who won the Cold War. This is mind-stretching stuff, well worth the money. The Cold War is the knowledge vacuum at the center of the anti-globalization movement. The Cold War didn't turn out quite the way liberals expected, and some are loath to look back. But we all should. A timely and thought-provoking work. One of the most important history books of the past year.
Rating: 
Summary: Cold War as Chess Match
Review: This book does a good job of laying out all the foreign policy, strategic, and military moves, as well as providing context -- although I sometimes found the level of detail to be overwhelming. Some parts read like a political-psychological thriller (who thought what about whom, whether their premises were correct, and how they acted on those premises); other parts resemble a technical manual for various weapons. It will probably be interesting to both political junkies as well as military buffs. Due to the great level of detail, bring patience if you you're new to Cold War history, as I was.
Rating:
Summary: Cold War as Chess Match
Review: This book does a good job of laying out all the foreign policy, strategic, and military moves, as well as providing context -- although I sometimes found the level of detail to be overwhelming. Some parts read like a political-psychological thriller (who thought what about whom, whether their premises were correct, and how they acted on those premises); other parts resemble a technical manual for various weapons. It will probably be interesting to both political junkies as well as military buffs. Due to the great level of detail, bring patience if you you're new to Cold War history, as I was.
Rating: 
Summary: Unbalanced Research and careless commentary.
Review: This book has many strong points. Firstly, Friedman's analysis of the Cold War's military strategy is first rate. His synthesis of military technology and its relationship to strategy is incredible. This should not be surprising, as Friedman is a notable military analst. His critique of McNamara and the Vietnam War is very clear and well done. However, Friedman's coverage of political events is somewhat journalistic. The author seems to have drawn an imaginary line between the West (the good guys) and communism (the proverbial black hats). At some points, the book falls into a simplistic description of this division that blinds itself to considerable criticism of "the good guys." For example, if the U.S. represents freedom, is it not a contradiction that it also covertly influenced postwar Italian elections? Coverage of the Reagan years displays similar problems. Despite these problems, I happen to agree with the substance of Friedman's history. It could, however, have been more balanced.
Rating:
Summary: Solid overview of the Cold War
Review: This is an impressive foray into a field of study that probably won't come into its own for another ten years. Through superb use of primary sources, Friedman provides an excellent narrative of fifty years of remarkably complex history. Yes, there are gaps, but that is to be expected only ten years on. Overall, the work is very thorough. In particular, Friedman does a superb job of removing some of the mythology associated with the Cold War. For example, we come to recognize that Eisenhower, behind his benign facade, was an iron-willed president who kept tight reins on the military and foreign policy. In addition, the most cherished of baby-boomer myths, JFK's presidency, is revealed for the farce it really was. And finally, we see the real Gorbachev: a pragmatic technocrat whose hands were tied. All in all this is an excellent work of history. I would have given it five stars, but the editing is truly appalling, I've never seen so many typos in a major hardcover release.
Rating:
Summary: Cold War 101
Review: this took me,a 14 year old inside the cold war iself. it not only explains the events,strategies and so on but it takes you step by step through the cold war and really gives you an understanding of "why" this happend and why this strategy, a must. this book should not be looked upon lower due to my words as a fouteen yera old.
<< 1 >>
| 
