Gorbachev's Russia And American Foreign Policy - Softcover

Michael Mandelbaum is the Christian A. Herter Professor of American Foreign Policy at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. He is the author of ten books, including The Ideas That Conquered the World and The Case For Goliath .

Public, college, and high school libraries can expect some demand for The Global Rivals , companion volume to a four-part PBS television series which aired this fall. The authors, respected authorities on the USSR and its relations with the West, survey the history of the Soviet-American conflict, the impact of Gorbachev's reforms on the Soviet Union, the arms race and human rights, geographic areas of contention, and future prospects. They have produced a useful overview of U.S.-Soviet relations which offers an accessible and very current insight into a remarkable period of Soviet history. They do, however, tend to oversimplify some controversial issues. In addition, the lack of notes limits readers wishing to pursue specific points. Most academic collections will also want the authors' second entry, Gorbachev's Russia and American Foreign Policy . The essays by scholars and analysts examine patterns of change in the USSR, the post-Stalin era, Gorbachev's reforms, and relations with the West. Problems include: heavily documented historical analyses which are juxtaposed with policy recommendation pieces; considerable unevenness in quality; and frequent repetition. However, selected chapters, such as Gaddis's excellent survey of the evolution of U.S. policy goals toward the USSR, will prove valuable. Overall, the collection offers current analyses of the perhaps epic changes in Soviet politics and society, and updates After Brezhnev: Sources of Soviet Conduct in the 1980s , edited by Robert F. Byrnes ( LJ 7/83). James R. Kuhlman, Univ. of Georgia Lib., Athens
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