Covers the Cold War period between the Western powers and the Communist bloc from the end of World War II through 1989. Includes discussion of the historic causes of the tension and information on the lives and actions of major figures, such as Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) finds itself increasingly stressed by current and prospective demographic shifts within its membership that will almost certainly hamper its collective ability to deploy operational forces and further strain the transatlantic relationship in the years ahead. NATO has shifted from large conscript forces, which were useful for its territorial defense during the Cold War, toward smaller, all-volunteer military...