Dealing with the Devil: East Germany, Détente, and Ostpolitik, 1969-1973 (The New Cold War History)

Using new archival sources--including previously secret documents of the East German secret police and Communist Party--M. E. Sarotte goes behind the scenes of Cold War Germany during the era of detente, as East and West tried negotiation instead of confrontation to settle their differences. In Dealing with the Devil , she explores the motives of the German Democratic Republic and its Soviet backers in responding to both the detente initiatives, or Ostpolitik, of West Germany and the foreign policy of the United States under President Nixon. Sarotte focuses on both public and secret contacts between the two halves of the German nation during Brandt's chancellorship, exposing the cynical artifices constructed by negotiators on both sides. Her analysis also details much of the superpower maneuvering in the era of detente, since German concerns were ever present in the minds of leaders in Washington and Moscow, and reveals the startling degree to which concern over China shaped European politics during this time. More generally, Dealing with the Devil presents an illuminating case study of how the relationship between center and periphery functioned in the Cold War Soviet empire. Annotation. Using new archival sources--including previously secret documents of the East German secret police and Communist Party--M. E. Sarotte goes behind the scenes of Cold War Germany during the era of d©tente, as East and West tried negotiation instead of confrontation to settle their differences. In Dealing with the Devil , she explores the motives of the German Democratic Republic and its Soviet backers in responding to both the d�€žtente initiatives, or Ostpolitik, of West Germany and the foreign policy of the United States under President Nixon. Sarotte focuses on both public and secret contacts between the two halves of the German nation during Brandt's chancellorship, exposing the cynical artifices constructed by negotiators on both sides. Her analysis also details much of the superpower maneuvering in the era of d©tente, since German concerns were ever present in the minds of leaders in Washington and Moscow, and reveals the startling degree to which concern over China shaped European politics during this time. More generally, Dealing with the Devil presents an illuminating case study of how the relationship between center and periphery functioned in the Cold War Soviet empire. Going Behind The Scenes Of Cold War Germany During The Era Of Detente, This Text Studies How East And West Tried Negotiation Instead Of Confrontation To Settle Their Differences. It Reveals How The Relationship Between Centre And Periphery Functioned In The Cold War Soviet Empire. Introduction: Opposing Devils -- 1. Setting The Stage In 1960: Old Worries And New Initiatives In The Era Of Nixon And Brandt -- 2. Speaking Civilly Face-to-face In The First Half Of 1970: Meetings In Moscow, Erfurt, Berlin, And Kassel -- 3. Discovering The Perils Of Bargaining In The Second Half Of 1970: The Moscow Treaty, The Quadripartite Talks, And The Beginning Of The End For Ulbricht -- 4. Expediting Negotiations In 1971: Superpower Maneuvering And The Importance Of China -- 5. Achieving Initial Aims In 1971-1972: The Quadripartite Agreement, The Transit Accord, And The Traffic Treaty -- 6. Sealing The Bargain In 1972-1973: The Basic Treaty In The Context Of The International Cold War -- Conclusion: The Costs Of Dealing With The Devil. M.e. Sarotte. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [269]-287) And Index. Cover Contents Preface Note on Usage Abbreviations Introduction: Opposing Devils 1 Setting the Stage in 1969: Old Worries and New Initiatives in the Era of Nixon and Brandt 2 Speaking Civilly Face-to-Face in the First Half of 1970: Meetings in Moscow, Erfurt, Berlin, and Kassel 3 Discovering the Perils of Bargaining in the Second Half of 1970: The Moscow Treaty, the Quadripartite Talks, and the Beginning of the End for Ulbricht 4 Expediting Negotiations in 1971: Superpower Maneuvering and the Importance of China 5 Achieving Initial Aims in 1971–1972: The Quadripartite Agreement, the Transit Accord, and the Traffic Treaty 6 Sealing the Bargain in 1972–1973: The Basic Treaty in the Context of the International Cold War Conclusion: The Costs of Dealing with the Devil Note on Sources: The Bureaucracy of Evil Notes Bibliography Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Z Understanding detente and Ostpolitik, and the East German and Soviet response to them, requires and understanding of the historical context from which they arose.