Robert R. Bowie, and Richard H. Immerman's "Waging Peace: How Eisenhower Shaped an Enduring Cold War Strategy"

The history of the Cold War was one of suspense and countermoves by the U.S. and the USSR to prevent the domination of spheres of influence. Although it was not a war in the scientific sense, the clash over ideologies (Marxism and Capitalistic Democracy), placed the balance of power in limbo, and the prospect of an unintentional third World War. Waging Peace by Robert Bowie and Richard Immerman, offers a superb account on the true events behind the development, and implementation of the strategy of containment of the USSR. They presented a most captivating list of facts that were well research, and only now can one fully grasp the extent and involvement of Eisenhower and Dulles, in the decision making.

Bowie and Immerman, who both came from highly sophisticated backgrounds, offered personal accounts on the making of the Cold War policy initially developed by the Truman administration NSC 68. Mr. Bowie an illustrious diplomat in the Truman and Eisenhower administration, had first-hand knowledge of the policy as it became part of the long term U.S. strategic plan. Likewise, Immerman who is a well known historian on the history of the war offers some remarkable perspectives on the major arguments during the planning stage between the various actors.

Both authors agree, that NSC 68 was a legacy of the Truman administration which was hailed as a major step in countering the aggressive Soviet expansion, and their subversive actions by undermining many of the newly free states after the collapse of colonization. Arguably, the “Truman Doctrine” ran into many debates, for there exist many actors in his administration and the congress who were willing to let Western Europe alone face the of might of Soviet aggression. For example, Bowi...

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...uld be given to him for setting the stage for a firm deterrence, and to Ronald Reagan, who outspent them forcing the collapse of the Soviet Empire.

Bowie and Immerman wrote a superb book with an enormous amount of facts to reinforce their arguments. Moreover, since Bowie was in the administration during the Eisenhower years, no one can challenge his level of expertise, and his skillful compiling of the facts. They skillfully chronicled the Cold War years, which leaves the reader, with a breath of information. This is undoubtedly, the most comprehensive book on the crisis, and the policies that were implemented, and the highest grades thus go to Bowie and Immerman for an outstanding piece of work. The only fault I find with the book was the lack of pictures of some of the key players, and declassified documents would have added realism and validity to the book.