Roosevelt's Lost Alliances: How Personal Politics Helped Start The Cold War Project Muse Upcc Books

How the Grand Alliance of World War II succeeded — and then collapsed — because of personal politics In the spring of 1945, as the Allied victory in Europe was approaching, the shape of the postwar world hinged on the personal politics and flawed personalities of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin. Roosevelt's Lost Alliances captures this moment and shows how FDR crafted a winning coalition by overcoming the different habits, upbringings, sympathies, and past experiences of the three leaders. In particular, Roosevelt trained his famous charm on Stalin, lavishing respect on him, salving his insecurities, and rendering him more amenable to compromise on some matters. Yet, even as he pursued a lasting peace, FDR was alienating his own intimate circle of advisers and becoming dangerously isolated. After his death, postwar cooperation depended on Harry Truman, who, with very different sensibilities, heeded the embittered "Soviet experts" his predecessor had kept distant. A Grand Alliance was painstakingly built and carelessly lost. The Cold War was by no means inevitable. This landmark study brings to light key overlooked documents, such as the Yalta diary of Roosevelt's daughter Anna; the intimate letters of Roosevelt's de facto chief of staff, Missy LeHand; and the wiretap transcripts of estranged adviser Harry Hopkins. With a gripping narrative and subtle analysis, Roosevelt's Lost Alliances lays out a new approach to foreign relations history. Frank Costigliola highlights the interplay between national political interests and more contingent factors, such as the personalities of leaders and the culturally conditioned emotions forming their perceptions and driving their actions. Foreign relations flowed from personal politics—a lesson pertinent to historians, diplomats, and citizens alike. In the spring of 1945, as the Allied victory in Europe was approaching, the shape of the postwar world hinged on the personal politics and flawed personalities of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin. This book shows how FDR crafted a winning coalition by overcoming the differences among the three leaders. In particular, Roosevelt trained his famous charm on Stalin, rendering him more amenable to compromise. Yet, even as he pursued a lasting peace, FDR was alienating his own intimate circle of advisers. After his death, postwar cooperation depended on Harry Truman, who, with very different sensibilities, heeded the embittered "Soviet experts" his predecessor had kept distant. A Grand Alliance was painstakingly built and carelessly lost--the Cold War was by no means inevitable. This landmark study brings to light key overlooked documents, highlighting the interplay between national interests and more contingent factors, such as the personalities cultural differences of leaders. Foreign relations flowed from personal politics--a lesson pertinent to historians, diplomats, and citizens alike.--From publisher description A Portrait Of The Allies As Young Men : Franklin, Winston, And Koba -- From Missy To Molotov : The Women And Men Who Sustained The Big Three -- The Personal Touch : Forming The Alliance, January-august 1941 -- Transcending Differences : Eden Goes To Moscow And Churchill To Washington, December 1941 -- Creating The Family Circle : The Torturous Path To Tehran, 1942-43 -- I've Worked It Out: Roosevelt's Plan To Win The Peace And Defy Death, 1944-45 -- The Diplomacy Of Trauma : Kennan And His Colleagues In Moscow, 1933-46 -- Guns And Kisses In The Kremlin : Ambassadors Harriman And Clark Kerr Encounter Stalin, 1943-46 -- Roosevelt's Death Has Changed Everything : Truman's First Days, April-june 1945 -- The Lost Alliance : Widespread Anxiety And Deepening Ideology, July 1945-march 1946 -- Conclusion And Epilogue. Frank Costigliola. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.