The End of the Cold War and its Aftermath

Roughly thirty years ago, the Cold War came to an end. This multi-generational struggle, which did not always remain "cold," came to define the security environment and, arguably, the social milieu for much of the world’s population. It certainly was prominent in the life experiences of the contributing authors to this volume, perhaps beginning with "duck and cover" drills in schools to being surrounded by the ubiquitous "Fallout Shelter" signs on public buildings. For most of the authors, it also involved service in the armed forces both in active combat, for instance in Vietnam, and in units preparing for a hot war in Europe that, thankfully, never came. Their service also included time on staffs developing plans and policies to manage the military competition, and in arms control, working to reduce the chances of war. One thing all the authors share vis-à-vis the Cold War is the desire to study it, learn from it, and share their insights with others.