Poland under Communism A Cold War History [Paperback]

A history of Poland from the Second World War until the fall of Communism.This book was the first English-language history of Poland from the Second World War until the fall of Communism. It explores a broad range of themes in Poland's political, social, economic and international history and offers a first-hand account of how Solidarity formed the world's first post-Communist government in 1989.This book was the first English-language history of Poland from the Second World War until the fall of Communism. It explores a broad range of themes in Poland's political, social, economic and international history and offers a first-hand account of how Solidarity formed the world's first post-Communist government in 1989.This book was the first English-language history of Poland from the Second World War until the fall of Communism. Using a wide range of Polish archives and unpublished sources in Moscow and Washington, Tony Kemp-Welch integrates the Cold War history of diplomacy and inter-state relations with the study of domestic opposition and social movements. His key themes encompass political, social and economic history; the Communist movement and its relations with the Soviet Union; and the broader East-West context with particular attention to US policies. The book concludes with a first-hand account of how Solidarity formed the world's first post-Communist government in 1989 as the Polish people demonstrated what can be achieved by civic courage against apparently insuperable geo-strategic obstacles. This compelling new account will be essential reading for anyone interested in Polish history, the Communist movement and the course of the Cold War.Preface; 1. Prelude; 2. Stalinism; 3. Thaw; 4. Flood; 5. Polycentrism; 6. Stagnation; 7. Counter-culture; 8. D?tente; 9. Opposition; 10. Gdansk; 11. Non-invasion; 12. Martial law; 13. Amnesty; 14. Consultation; 15. Abdication.'This is a compelling, well-written narrative of contestation between regime and society in the PlC×