A history of the origins of the Cold War by top experts in the field. This book is a history of the origins of the Cold War, a conflict that marked the course of global politics for more than forty years. Basing his analysis on unpublished archives, the author explains the series of tragic events that led to Europe's division after World War II. He presents an analysis of the United States' strategic response, the birth of the Marshall Plan, the reconstruction of Germany, and the measures the UK and France took to defend Europe and preserve their imperial power.