{"product_id":"the-marshall-plan-dawn-of-the-cold-war","title":"The Marshall Plan: Dawn of the Cold War","description":"\u003cp\u003eWinner of the 2019 New-York Historical Society Barbara and David Zalaznick Book Prize in American History Winner of the 2018 American Academy of Diplomacy Douglas Dillon Award Shortlisted for the 2018 Duff Cooper Prize in Literary Nonfiction Honorable Mention (runner-up) for the 2019 ASEEES Marshall D. Shulman Prize  The award-winning author of The Battle of Bretton Woods reveals the gripping history behind the Marshall Plantold with verve  insight  and resonance for today.  In the wake of World War II  with Britains empire collapsing and Stalins on the rise  US officials under new secretary of state George C. Marshall set out to reconstruct western Europe as a bulwark against communist authoritarianism. Their massive  costly  and ambitious undertaking would confront Europeans and Americans alike with a vision at odds with their history and self-conceptions. In the process  they would drive the creation of NATO  the European Union  and a Western identity that continues to shape world events.  Focusing on the critical years 1947 to 1949  Benn Steils thrilling account brings to life the seminal episodes marking the collapse of postwar US-Soviet relationsthe Prague coup  the Berlin blockade  and the division of Germany. In each case  we see and understand like never before Stalins determination to crush the Marshall Plan and undermine American power in Europe.  Given current echoes of the Cold War  as Putins Russia rattles the world order  the tenuous balance of power and uncertain order of the late 1940s is as relevant as ever. The Marshall Plan provides critical context into understanding todays international landscape. Bringing to bear fascinating new material from American  Russian  German  and other European archives  Steils account will forever change how we see the Marshall Plan and the birth of the Cold War. A polished and masterly work of historical narrative  this is an instant classic of Cold War literature.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44946411257909,"sku":"ByrdShop_1501102370","price":28.21,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781501102370.jpg?v=1769947553","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-marshall-plan-dawn-of-the-cold-war","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}