Losing our souls : the American experience in the cold war / Edward Pessen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pessen, Edward, 1920-1992.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States--Foreign relations--1945-1989.

United States.

International relations.

Cold War.

United States--Politics and government--1945-1989.

Politics and government.

Subversive activities--United States--History--20th century.

Subversive activities.

History.

Internal security--United States--History--20th century.

Internal security.

Political culture--United States--History--20th century.

Political culture.

Physical Description:

255 pages ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Chicago : I.R. Dee, 1993.

Summary:

"The cold war", Edward Pessen writes, "was the most unusual war the United States ever fought". It was by far the longest of all American wars, he explains, but it was not a shooting war, and it had neither a precise beginning or ending. It produced United States policies which were bold, dynamic, and unprecedented. The swiftest glance at recent events seems to establish that the United States achieved its chief objectives: amidst the debris of communism and the Soviet empire, the United States stands alone as the sole remaining superpower. Yet, Mr. Pessen asks, victory at what cost? While political observers ponder the Soviet collapse, and historians continue to debate the origins of the cold war, scarcely anyone has considered the profound changes it wrought in American society. Losing Our Souls is the first book to sum up the consequences of the cold war for Americans - the shifting ideals of our approach to international affairs; the building of our nuclear arsenal; the tactics used to combat "communist subversion" throughout the world and within the United States; the transformation of the American economy in response to security demands. Carefully reviewing the evidence, and writing with the authority of a distinguished historian, Mr. Pessen charges that American cold war policy has been disastrous for many of our cherished values and institutions. In a powerful indictment of American leadership, he accuses our cold war policymakers of engaging in deplorable activities and of misrepresenting them to the American people - all in the name of anticommunism. Losing Our Souls is an important book that challenges official appraisals and offers a different perspective on our cold warexperience.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (page) and index.

ISBN:

1566630371

OCLC:

28148115