Though the words, Cold War, refer to a period of specific international tension it is also true that the wars, conflicts and armed disputes of the period were most often influenced by, and even created because of, the existence of a 'cold war' environment - the Cold War was, in many ways, the Third World War. This extensive and authoritative volume presents all the major wars of the period - Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf, etc., the uprisings and revolts in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, etc, and even the skirmishes, such as the Cuba Missile Crisis, in a form that is suitable both for reading and for reference. Indeed, it is a book that meets a major need for historians, students and professionals working in the field of international current affairs and modern history.