Wettig has written an important book. . . . Wettig has utilized documents from Russian as well as East German and East European archives. Highly recommended.

Choice Reviews

A distinguished German historian, Gerhard Wettig has written a solid and important study on the Soviet road to the Cold War. . . . The book firmly stands on its evidence and is a nice addition to the field of Cold War studies.

American Historical Review

Wettig has produced a lucid book that fulfils many roles at once: a comprehensive survey of geopolitical developments seen from the Soviet perspective; an overview of existing interpretations revisited on the basis of more recent archival findings; and, finally, an explicit attempt to locate 'the German problem' in the post-war period within the broader context of Soviet ambitions and the rise of the Soviet bloc. . . . Wettig's account valuably includes so-called 'fringe' examples (Finland, Yugoslavia, Albania) that have all too often been ignored, but that, as he aptly notes, reveal a great deal about early Cold War dynamics. They add immensely to this deeply engaging book. These examples are not merely instructive in analysing Soviet tactics and policy goals comparatively, they also offer telling insights into the role of small states, and the contradictions, and unexpected outcomes that emerge from their study.

Europe-Asia Studies

A major contribution to the burgeoning literature on the inside story of the Cold War from the 'other side.' Stalin and the Cold War in Europe is a highly readable blend of historical narrative and insights from newly available archival evidence.

Robert L. Hutchings, Princeton University