In this accessible yet comprehensive volume, Martin McCauley examines not only the actions of the United States and the Soviet Union but also the effects upon and involvement of other regions such as Africa, Central America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Key themes include the Sino-Soviet relationship and the global ambitions of the newly formed People’s Republic of China, the rise and fall of communism in countries such as Cuba, Angola and Ethiopia, the US defeat in Vietnam, the gradual unravelling of the Soviet Union and the changing shape of the post–Cold War world. Providing a wide-ranging overview of the main turning points of the conflict and illustrated throughout with photographs and maps, this is essential reading for all students of the Cold War and its lasting global impact.