An unanticipated pleasure in the process of writing this book has been the opportunity it has afforded me to reach out to other scholars in the field. In particular, I would like to thank the following for reading all or parts of the manuscript: Martin Alexander, Matthew Connelly, Anton DePorte, Victor Feske, John Gaddis, Sir Michael Howard, Talbot Imlay, Richard Kuisel, Diane Kunz, Stephen Schuker, Thomas Schwartz, Andrew Shennan, Mark Shulman, Gaddis Smith, Jeremi Suri, and Irwin Wall. I am especially grateful to Marc Trachtenberg, who went over various drafts with great care, pointing out errors, querying my conclusions, and sharing with me the results of his own research on Cold War history.
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I came to Yale as a graduate student in 1987, prepared to study European urban history. Then I enrolled in Paul Kennedy's seminar on the strategy and diplomacy of the great powers, and was captivated. Since then, Paul has been a mentor, colleague, and loyal friend, a model to me both in his professional and personal life.
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My greatest debt is to my family. My wife, Elizabeth Varon, has suffered patiently through a decade of conversations on French diplomatic history, taking time away from her writing, research, and teaching to help me with my own. I simply could not have completed this book without her. And in recognition of their unflagging support, I dedicate this book to my loving, generous, and always understanding parents.
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