A concise history of the world since 1945 : states and peoples

This lively synthesis of global history since the end of World War II offers a gripping account of an interdependent world and the challenges facing individuals in the twenty-first century. The narrative is arranged around two key tensions: the struggle between socialism and free-market capitalism and the interaction between cultural fragmentation and the competing integrative force of globalization. Considering the historical experience of Africa, Asia and Latin America as well as the West, it addresses the ever-expanding gulf between the developed North and developing South, and the environmental impact of development on the planet’s delicate ecosystems. Authoritative and well-written, this is an ideal introductory guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students taking courses on global history since 1945. It is also a fascinating primer for anyone with an interest in global history and the issues affecting the globe today. MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Contents 6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 8 TIMELINE 9 INTRODUCTION: DYNAMIC TENSIONS IN RECENT GLOBAL HISTORY 13 Part I: From bipolar to multipolar world 21 1: THE COLD WAR IN GLOBAL CONTEXT, 1945–1991 22 TRIUMPH AND DISQUIET: THE HUMAN PROSPECT IN 1945 22 The fragile West 23 Democracy on the defensive 24 An optimistic view 24 A pessimistic view 25 The eclipse of Europe 26 Intellectual disquiet 27 EARLY SUPERPOWER TENSIONS 28 A second front 28 Eastern Europe 29 Deepening Western suspicions 30 The communist perspective 32 The German dilemma 32 The Marshall Plan 34 The Truman Doctrine 35 Berlin airlift 36 NATO 37 The nuclear arms race 38 EXPANDING THE CIRCLE OF CONFLICT 39 Communism in China 39 Korean domino 42 Red Scare 43 Southeast Asia 44 Washington intervenes 46 An undeclared war 47 Sino-Soviet split 48 THE KHRUSHCHEV ERA, 1955–1964 50 Crackdown in Hungary 51 The Berlin Wall 51 To the brink: Cuba 52 FROM DETENTE TO DENOUEMENT 55 Seeking a way out 55 Limiting weapons 56 Soviet weaknesses 57 Detente in shambles 58 Gorbachev and Reagan 60 POWER AND PRINCIPLE 61 2: THE END OF EMPIRE AND THE PROBLEM OF NEOCOLONIALISM 64 DECOLONIZATION AND ITS DISCONTENTS 64 Neocolonialism 65 Empire as anachronism 66 World War II as catalyst 67 THE SOUTH ASIAN PRECEDENT 68 Colonial legacies 69 India and the world wars 71 The tragedy of partition 72 Enduring conflict 74 Nonalignment 74 Strategic reversals 75 Democracy and development 76 AFRICA’S HOPE AND MISFORTUNE 79 Nationalist leaders 80 The roots of instability 81 Early prospects 82 African commonalities? 83 Ugandan xenophobia 84 Kenya, Rhodesia, and white settlement 85 French Algeria 86 Apartheid in South Africa 87 From independence to chaos 88 Forced retreat: Portugal 89 Ethnicity and the nation-state 90 ANTICOLONIALISM AND NATIONALISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST 92 Israel 92 Egypt and the Arab leadership 94 SOUTHEAST ASIA 95 Indonesia 96 THE OVERLOOKED EMPIRE: RUSSIA 98 ASSESSING THE COLONIAL LEGACY 99 Postcolonial relationships 100 Nationalism and modernization since 1945 101 3: AN ELUSIVE NEW WORLD ORDER, 1991–2020 104 INTEGRATION AND FRAGMENTATION IN WIDER EUROPE 106 Collapse of the Iron Curtain 106 Soviet demise, Russian reprise 109 European integration 113 Southeastern Europe and the NATO consensus 114 Straining the European idea 116 America’s angry populist 119 THE RESURGENCE OF CHINA 121 The great anomaly 121 The cultural revolution 124 The return of Deng Xiaoping 125 Tiananmen and beyond 127 A multiethnic state 129 Return to great power status 131 North Korea: The last Stalinist state 133 AMBIGUITY IN LATIN AMERICA 134 Lingering challenges and the global market 137 TERRORISM AND TROUBLED DEMOCRACY 140 Terror states? 141 A problematic ally 143 Anti-authoritarianism and the Arab World 145 Israel, Palestine, and Nationhood 147 Democracy on the defensive 150 Part II: Globalization and its discontents 152 4: WHEN BORDERS DON’T MATTER: DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL CULTURE 153 CLASSICAL LIBERALISM IN CRISIS 154 THE KEYNESIAN CONSENSUS 156 Bretton Woods 158 European integration 160 The ascent of Japan 161 Consumer culture 163 NORTH AND SOUTH, RICH AND POOR 165 Postcolonial economies 166 Development economics 167 India’s example 168 Africa’s dilemma 169 Latin America 173 A debtors’ globe 174 NEOLIBERAL ECONOMICS 175 Oil shocks and stagnation 175 Thatcher and Reagan 177 Soviet blues 178 Markets triumphant? 179 GLOBALIZATION AND DISQUIET 181 Multinational corporations 182 A better world? 184 A disconcerting conclusion 186 5: WHEN BORDERS DO MATTER: INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION AND IDENTITY 190 STATES AND REFUGEES 193 Cold War policy and refugees 194 The first Gulf War 196 Jews and Muslims 197 South Asian emergencies 199 Africa’s refugee predicament 200 Europe’s recent refugees 202 PROVISIONAL GUESTS 203 Guest workers and remittances 204 Labour recruitment in West Germany 205 Britain and France 206 Guest workers in the oil kingdoms 209 East Asian migrants 211 GLOBALIZATION AND IDENTITY 212 The Chinese exception 212 Mobile Latin Americans 214 Identity in the US 215 A common border 216 GLOBAL EQUITY AND MIGRATION 218 Prospects 219 Part III: Body and spirit 221 6: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT 222 POPULATION AND HEALING 226 A new old age 226 Prolonging human life 229 Assault on disease 230 Technology, medicine, and the quality of life 232 The business of medicine 234 The politics of medicine 238 From eugenics to genetics 239 ENERGY AND POWER 241 The envied model for success 242 Oil shocks? 243 Emerging energy consumers 244 The promise and perils of nuclear energy 245 GOODS, SERVICES, AND CULTURE 246 Electronic communications 246 Shrinking the planet: Computers, Internet devices, and social media 248 Shrinking the planet: Air travel 251 DEBATE OVER THE ENVIRONMENT 253 The unforeseen costs of progress 254 Environmental awareness 257 UNCERTAIN FUTURE 261 7: RELIGION, RIGHTS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY 264 CHRISTIANITY BECOMES A GLOBAL FAITH 267 The ecumenical movement 268 Watershed at the Vatican 268 A wider Christian community 269 Roman Catholicism and the state in Latin America 270 Social activism 272 Conservative restoration 273 The African imprint 275 African-American liberation theology 277 Confessional politics in Ireland 278 Poland’s Catholic identity 279 Catholicism at a crossroads 281 Alternative religions in the West 282 CHALLENGES IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD 283 Islamism 285 Islamist revolution in Iran 286 Egypt 289 Islam in the contemporary West 290 INDIAN AND ISRAELI CONFESSIONAL POLITICS 291 The rise of Hindu nationalism 291 Sikh separatism 293 Israel and Judaism 294 EAST ASIAN TRANSITIONS 296 China’s crucible 296 Tradition and innovation in Japan 298 RIGHTS, GENDER, AND RELIGION 299 Gender equity 301 Women and the faith traditions 303 ANCIENT FAITH AND MODERN VALUES 306 CONCLUSION: HOPE AND MISGIVING IN THE NEW CENTURY 308 STATES BEFORE PEOPLES? 310 A MEANINGFUL LIFE 313 FURTHER READING 317 INTRODUCTION 317 CHAPTER 1 317 Cold War theory 317 US–Soviet relations 317 Europe and Asia 317 CHAPTER 2 318 Decolonization 318 South and East Asia 318 Middle East 318 Africa 318 CHAPTER 3 319 Recent Europe and America 319 South and East Asia 319 Latin America 319 Recent Islam 319 CHAPTER 4 319 Economic globalization 319 Cities, consumers, and energy 320 CHAPTER 5 320 General surveys 320 Refugees 320 CHAPTER 6 321 Medicine and technology 321 Energy and environment 321 CHAPTER 7 321 General surveys 321 Islam 321 Church and state 322 Christianity 322 CONCLUSION 322 Index 323