Inside the Kremlin's Cold War: From Stalin to Khrushchev

by Vladislav Zubok, Constantine V. Pleshakov

Release Date: April, 1997

Edition: Paperback

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A Look into the Kremlin

I found this book an interesting look at the key men who ran Soviet foreign policy between 1945-1964.

The book is arranged into biographical sketches about Stalin, Molotov, Malenkov, etc., and each chapter focuses on the foreign policy issue they were most involved with. I found this a little dissatisfying, since it was not strictly chronological, but I assume most readers would have a basic handle on Cold War chronology.

The chapters on Stalin, Molotov and Khushchev were the most interesting. I think this book would be most useful to college undergrads in Russian history or 20th Century diplomacy.

Futile Justification

It is very interesting to learn how Russian historians view Cold War. It is well-written and easy to understand.

It seems to me, however, that the authors have some nostalgia for 19th century Russian imperialism. While ideology is described as delirium tremens, there is no criticism of Russian expansionism. Even Stalin's expansionism is justified by his concern for security. By denying Soviet Union's ambition and emphasizing economic loss which Russian people had to suffer, the authors are misleading readers to wrong direction.