Britain, Detente and Changing East-West Relations

Britain Detente and Changing EastWest Relations examines the role ofBritain in EastWest relations since the end of World War II. While recentstudies have focuse... » 

Britain Detente and Changing EastWest Relations examines the role ofBritain in EastWest relations since the end of World War II. While recentstudies have focused on the contribution of Britain to the Cold War this bookis the first to provide a detailed analysis of the contribution of successiveBritish governments to the development of EastWest detente a historicalprocess that Brian White believes had its origins in the early postwar period.Brian White places particular emphasis on Britains central role as thecatalyst of detente in the 1950s and early 1960s and its later role in therevival of detente during the 1980s. He concludes that the failure to adapteffectively to the changing patterns of EastWest relations from the 1960sonwards led to the gradual decline of British influence. Detailed andcomprehensive this book provides both an important revaluation of Britainsrole in the postwar world and an invaluable case study in foreign policyformation and execution. «