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The Cold War: A Military History

-David Miller

Correct me if I’m wrong, but is not a military history supposed to be a history text, rather than background information?  While I was reading this book, I expected a history of the cold war in military terms, instead of a collection of cold war information.

That said, the information presented in the book is very interesting.  There is a brief description of Europe and the world at the end of WW2, and then the author discusses the foundation of NATO and the Warsaw Pact.  There is considerable time spent on the structure of the two organisations,

including selfishness displayed by both super powers, and on their different responses to crises.  The background to each crisis is discussed briefly as well.

The real strength of the book is in the information it provides on the two sides.  The powers military strength is discussed in all phases (apart from space and ASAT technology), with information on tanks, ships and troop equipment.  I was unaware, before now, that the soviets had naval infantry serving on their ships.  The USSR’s war plan, which called for a massive charge across the central European plain, was interesting to read, although I considered it self-evident that such a charge would lead to a nuclear attack. 

Perhaps appropately, about a fifth of the book discusses the two sides nuclear capabilities and the weapons and effects they would have used and faced. There are, however, several glaring weaknesses.  The author talks in general terms about the cost and effect of the cold war, he provides little precise data on that aspect of the war, and many of the small wars fought against a cold war background are ignored.  The Falklands, which was very important to the cold war, is barely mentioned, the Yom Kipper and Algerian wars are not mentioned at all. 

There are also curious omissions.  China, the Middle East and Cuba are hardly discussed, despite being very important to the Cold War.  No attention is paid at all to space, despite its importance.

  Overall, this book provides interesting and useful titbits of information, but is not a history in any real sense, just a factbook.