It needs a narrative thread and, perhaps most importantly, a consistent definition of the political struggle as a framing narrative.

The Narrative Thread of the Cold WarĬrafting such a history requires a fine balance of the strategic and the tactical: it needs the macro-level scene-setting of politics between Washington and Moscow (but not so much that it is a diplomatic history), yet it also needs to peek behind the curtain to see the wilderness of mirrors that was this contest, all without losing the critical broader focus. Tim Weiner attempts to provide such an exploration, following the thread from the post-World War II geopolitical settlement to the most recent election in his latest book The Folly and the Glory. This history is indeed perhaps one of the most fascinating stories of the 20th and 21st centuries and one that begs for a thorough exploration. It was not a hot war, but it was a political war-one of ideas and values, narrative and messaging, covert action and espionage, skullduggery and disinformation. Throughout the Cold War, the United States and Russia waged a conflict not with bullets and bombs, but with words and propaganda. Moscow must not have gotten the memo, for the Kremlin and its intelligence apparatuses were still on a war-footing. Successive administrations from Clinton to Bush 43 to Obama all sought to treat Russia as a defeated adversary, a wary partner, or a relationship in need of “reset” (or “overload” in an incorrect translation of “peregruzka”).

The public wasn’t alone in such an assessment. Yet, while the Cold War ended, the tensions and conflict with Russia never went away America just stopped paying attention. To be sure, the blitz against Georgia, the electronic invasion of Estonia, and the annexation of Crimea all signaled a revanchist Russia, but it was not until the 2016 election hit home that many Americans woke up.įor most Americans, conflict with Russia was consigned to the history books and perhaps the occasional paperback thriller. The aggressive campaign in advance of the 2016 election, at least for America, sparked a renewed interest in the Cold War adversary. Unsurprisingly, the recent years have seen a flurry of publications attempting to understand and characterize Russia, its behavior, its aims, and its relationship with the United States. The Folly and the Glory | Tim Weiner | Henry Holt and Co.

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