Introducing the key events and developments in international relations, this authoritative and engaging book provides students with a clear understanding of the contemporary issues in international politics. Putting the foundations and contexts of international relations at your fingertips, this eighth edition: Provides an account of the world as it has evolved since 1945. Extensively covers a range of topics including population, gender and the environment. Includes expanded material on the theory of international relations. Supports research with fully updated and annotated further reading lists. Praised for its detail and tone, International Relations since 1945 is ideal for providing undergraduates with a historical background as they approach international relations. Book jacket.

1 The New World The Rise and Fall of Great Powers The World in 1945 The Literature2 The Cold War in Europe, 1945-1949 Political science and history Some Old and New Theories about the Cold War Some Structural Explanations for the Cold War Who Acted Where? US Policy Soviet Policy The Problem of Germany Motivating Forces behind US and Soviet Policies The United States The Soviet Union The Literature3 The Cold War Becomes Global, 1945-1962 The United States, the Soviet Union, and Asia, 1945-1950 The Civil War in China Other Countries in Asia Signs of Re-evaluation in the Superpowers' Asian Policies The Korean War Changes in US Policy in Asia The Soviet Union Tries to Play a Global Role A New Policy in Asia and the Middle East A New Policy in Africa The Cold War Reaches Latin America The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Third World: A Comparison The Literature4 Detente Between East and West, 1962-1975 Signs of Detente during the 1950s The Policy of Detente, 1962-1975 Agreements and Contact between East and West Reasons for Detente Detente and Geographic Expansion of the East-West Conflict Respect for Each Other's Vital Regions The Grey Zones between East and West The Middle East, 1967-1975 The Vietnam War The Literature5 Renewed Tension Between East and West, 1975-1984 The Soviet Union: A New Globalism The United States: Reaction to Detente The Literature 6 The End of the Cold War, 1984-1990 Different Theories about the End of the Cold War What Happened - and Why? The Literature7 Major Powers and Local Conflicts after the Cold War, 1990-2016 The Major Powers in the New World Hopes for Peace - and the Reality of Local Conflicts 11 September 2001, Afghanistan and Iraq Barack Obama and the Greater Middle East The Literature8 The Arms Race, 1945-2016 Perspective and Motivating Forces Hiroshima, Atomic Weapons, and Conventional Forces, 1945-1949 The US Turnabout, 1949-1953 New Directions in US and Soviet Defense Policies The 'New Look' The 'New Look' in the Soviet Union Kennedy, McNamara, and Flexible Response The Soviet Build-up The US Reaction The First Phase: Prior to 1973-1974 The Second Phase: The Years up to 1984 Cooperation, Disarmament and Rearmament Once More The Smaller Nuclear States The Literature9 The United States and Western Europe, 1945-2016 Expansion by Invitation, 1945-1950 European Integration, 1945-1973 Explanations for the US Stance US-European Relations, 1950-1973 Cooperation Prior to 1962 Political and Military Controversy, 1962-1973 Economic Relations, 1962-1973 The United States and Western Europe after 1973: New Tensions Expansion and Integration of the EC/EU From the Year of Europe to German Reuni?cation The US and the EU from Clinton to Donald Trump The Literature10 The Soviet Union/Russia and the (formerly) Communist Countries, 1945-2016 Expansion and Conformism, 1945-1953 The Reins are Loosened (1953-1956) and Tightened (1956-1958) The Revolts in Poland and Hungary in 1956 The Split between the Soviet Union and China From Cooperation to Armed Struggle Explanations for the Split Soviet Relations with Eastern Europe, 1958-1985 Czechoslovakia - 1968 Developments in Poland The Soviet Union and the Communist Movement Elsewhere The Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe The Fall of the Soviet Union Developments in Russia and Eastern Europe After the Fall of Communism The Literature11 The Rise of East Asia The United States and Japan, 1945-2016 1945-1960: Occupation and US Dominance 1960-1990: Economic Strength and Greater Political Independence 1990-2016: Economic Problems and Political Uncertainty The Sino-Soviet-US Triangle Since 1972 East Asia in the New World System The Literature12 Decolonization Changes on the International Level The National Level: Changes within the Colonial Powers British Policies French Policies Belgium and Portugal Why Different Attitudes? The Local Level: Independence Movements Grow Stronger The Three Stages Economic and Cultural Development The Influence of International Events The Nonaligned States in World Politics The Literature13 Economic Relations Between North and South, 1945-2016 Aid and Trade, 1945-2013 1945-1955 1955-1964 1964-1981 1981-2000 2000-2016 The Soviet Union and North-South Issues The Literature14 Two Theories on Development and Under-development The Liberalist and the Structuralist Schools Discussion of Some Issues Central to Economic Development The North's Development-The South's Under-development? The Multinational Corporations Raw Materials and Processed Goods The Question of Dependence Population, Gender, Environment Production of Crude Oil Why Poverty? The Literature15 Globalization and Fragmentation Globalization Regionalism Fragmentation Why both Globalization and Fragmentation? East, West, North, South Superpowers, States and Individuals The Literature16 Conclusion: The Future Old and New Superpowers What will happen to the International System? The Literature Index