Serious debates and discussions on world politics in Russian journals and books have greatly increased since 1956, resulting in a steadily changing appraisal of the world political situation by the Russians. Professor Zimmerman studies that changing appraisal. He describes Soviet international relations perspectives during Khrushchev's years in power and the three years following. He uncovers the answers Soviet commentators implicitly or explicitly give to such questions as: Who, in the Soviet view, are the main actors in international politics, and what does identifying them suggest about the Soviet perspective? In the Soviet analysis, what is the global distribution of power? How do Soviet analysts characterize the capabilities, motives, and decision-making process of the United States?