The aim of this book is to provide an introduction to some of the major political, economic and military issues in the development of East-West relations between the end of the Second World War and the signing of the INF Treaty of 1987. It examines the continuing debate about the origins of the post-1945 Cold War, the nature of the Sino-Soviet conflict, the attempts to halt the momentum of the arms race and the relative decline in the economic power and influence of both the United States and the Soviet Union. The emphasis throughout is on the problem of defining detente. The book argues that while a European consensus has emerged about the meaning of detente, Soviet-American relations have yet to develop beyond the level of constructive confrontation. Focusing on relations between the superpowers and their respective allies in Europe, the book also considers the role of China since the revolution of 1949 and the key regional issues in the conflict areas of Central America, the Middle East, South East and South West Asia, and Southern Africa. Dr S.R. Ashton is author of a number of textbooks on modern South Asian history and has worked as a research assistant on two official documentary histories about decolonization in India and Burma.