The United States, Italy and the origins of Cold War : waging political warfare, 1945-1950

This international history of the origins and nature of 'cold war' offers the first systematic examination of the complex relationship between the United States and Italy, and of American debates about warfare in the years between World War II and the Korean War. Kaeten Mistry reveals how the defeat of the Marxist left in the 1948 Italian election was perceived as a victory for the United States amidst a 'war short of war', as defined by influential planner George Kennan, becoming an allegory for cold war in American minds. The book analyses how political warfare sought to employ covert operations, overt tactics and propaganda in a co-ordinated offensive against international communism. Charting the critical contribution of a broad network of local, religious, civic, labour, and business groups, Mistry reveals how the notion of a specific American success paved the way for a problematic future for US-Italian relations and American political warfare.-- Provided by Publisher Cover Half title Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgements Abbreviations in text Abbreviations in notes Introduction Political warfare Questions and arguments Historical lacunae The spectre of fascism Narratives and themes 1 Uncertain bonds (1945-1946) Horizontal and vertical tensions The peace treaty The emergence of De Gasperi and the DC-centrists Frustrated Italian foreign policy initiatives 2 Catalysts of convergence (1946-1947) Electoral woes The De Gasperi visit The advent of the ambassador 3 Italy in American visions (1947) Still a secondary concern The shift: Marshall’s proposal Plugging the Marshall Gap 4 The consolidation of DC-centrists (1947) The fourth party and New Start Towards homogeneous governance The Marshall Plan fillip Embassy support for the status quo A coalition for the election 5 Means short of war (1946-1948) Means short of war in Kennan’s panopticon The NSC deals with Italy Improvised means short of war The opportunities and perils of alliance Institutionalising means short of war The suggestion from Manila 6 The 1948 election campaign The embassy’s definition and response Covert funding Fear and improvisation: Washington’s response Getting out the vote The final tally 7 Rocky relationships (1948-1950) The reform imperative Alliances to undermine communist strength An inconvenient alliance of necessity 8 Organising political warfare (1948-1950) The Italian ‘lesson’: creating OPC Expanded covert political warfare Strategic questions: means short of war and militarisation The global struggle and Italy Conclusion Marriages of convenience The dilemmas of political warfare Notes Bibliography Index This international history of the origins of 'cold war' in postwar Europe examines the complex relationship between America and Italy