The Essential Speeches of the Cold War: A Primary Source Collection

This book is a primary source collection of 30 speeches of the Cold War from 1917 to 1991, representing a cross section of leaders on all sides of the conflict from North America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

As ideological conflict between superpowers returns to the world, it is more essential than ever to understand the superpower conflict which dominated the second half of the previous century. The Cold War was fought with rhetoric and propaganda as much as economic or military strength. The Essential Speeches of the Cold War explores all stages of the Cold War from its origins after the Russian Revolution to its conclusion with the collapse of the Soviet Union seven decades later, offering a clear understanding of its history and turning points as told through its public diplomacy. Each speech has a historical introduction written by the author, as well as extensive historical footnotes discussing its significance and historical context.

This useful guide to how the rhetoric used during the Cold War helped shape our modern world will be a valuable resource for undergraduate and graduate scholars of the conflict, as well as for students of modern political rhetoric in international relations.

Sean Brennan is a Professor of History at the University of Scranton and an expert on the history of 20th-century Europe and the Cold War. He is the author of Warren Austin, Henry Cabot Lodge Jr, and the Cold War at the United Nations, 1947-1960 (2022).