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| Title: | Cold War & Soviet Mistrust of Churchill’s Pursuit of Détente, 1951-1955
|
| Author: | Uri Bar-Noi |
| ISBN: | 1845191765 : 9781845191764 |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Size: | 152x229mm |
| Pages: | 237 |
| Weight: | .486 Kg. |
| Published: | Sussex Academic Press - December 2007 |
| List Price: | 55 Pounds Sterling |
| Availability: | In Print |
| Subjects: | International relations: England: Russia: European history: postwar; from c1945- |
The release of previously unavailable Soviet archives has allowed a re-examination of Anglo-Soviet relations during Churchill's peacetime administration, with special emphasis on the Kremlin's motivation for resisting the Prime Minister's attempts to end the Cold War. Throughout 1951-55, the time was not yet ripe for détente: the USSR and Western powers were less than willing to accommodate each other. Instead they engaged in the consolidation of their own blocs and the build-up of their defensive potential. With Winston Churchill becoming the most outspoken advocate of détente, the Kremlin greeted the return to power of the Conservative Party under his leadership with a general mistrust. After Josef Stalin's death in March 1953, détente remained a distant reality. The collective leadership was keen to reduce international tensions without modifying its predecessor's foreign policy, or abandoning Soviet strongholds of central and eastern Europe. As part of its peace offensive, the Kremlin was prepared to improve the atmosphere in relations with Britain and increase the volume of Anglo-Soviet trade. However, the British remained mistrustful of the intentions of Stalin's successors, and refrained from initiatives leading to a relaxation of export controls independent from American embargo policy. The author demonstrates that Stalin's heirs suspected that Churchill's pursuit of détente was designed to secure far-reaching concessions. Moscow also felt that as a junior partner acting in full dependence on and in co-operation with US policy, Churchill was in no position to conciliate between the USSR and the USA. Engaged in a domestic struggle for power, members of the collective leadership were reluctant to allow their opponent, Georgi Malenkov, to negotiate single-handedly with western statesmen. It was only after Nikita Khrushchev's ascendance to power and Churchill's resignation from office that the Kremlin was prepared to participate in summit talks with the western heads of government.
The Cold War and Bast-West Pursuit for Bargaining Strength in the Early 1950s; Churchill's Return to 'Number 10' and Soviet Distrust of His Initiative for Summit Talks, October 1951-January 1952; Soviet Peace Propaganda, Negotiations of the EDC Treaty and British Plans for 'Let and Live' Arrangements with Moscow, 1952; Stalemate in the Heart of Europe: Soviet Notes on Germany and the Deadlock on the Austrian State Treaty Negotiations, March-October 1952; A New Breeze from Russia: Conclusion of the Stalinist Regime and Churchill's Aspirations for Détente, October 1952-April 1953; A Half-hearted Partnership for Peace: Moscow's Deficient Interest Towards Churchill's Proposal for Summit Talks, May-July 1953; From Rapid Recuperation to Bitter Discontent: Churchill's Failure to Promote his Initiative for Top-Level Talks, August-December 1953; Renewed Prospects: The Berlin Conference and the Interest within the Kremlin in Informal Anglo-Soviet Talks, January-March 1954; A Final Bid for Peace: The Far Eastern Conference and the Soviet Coup de Grâce to Churchill, April-July 1954; Tragic End: Malenkov's Downfall and Churchill's Resignation from Office, October 1954-April 1955; Conclusion: Soviet Resistance to Churchill's Bid for Peace Revisited; Index.
"Dr Bar-Noi has produced an interesting perspective on Churchill's attempt to reach a peaceful settlement of the Cold War, which is enriched by his use of Soviet primary sources." -- Professor Alan P Dobson, The Institute for Transatlantic European and American Studies, Dundee University. "Based on diligent research and a confident grasp of its subject matter, Uri Bar-Noi's fascinating book is particularly to be welcomed for the light it sheds on the inner workings of Soviet policy at the dawn of détente." -- Professor John Young, University of Nottingham, author of Winston Churchill's Last Campaign: Britain and the Cold War, 1951-55.
