Europe After World War II. 1945-2005. Complete History

This book is the most comprehensive study of the history of Europe in the second half of the 20th century and a valuable tool for understanding its contemporary structure. Tony Judt worked on his manuscript for nearly ten years, studying materials in six languages, and ultimately described the fates of 34 nations. His work is not just a look into the past. Many issues and achievements of today the author traces back to the end of World War II, questioning, in particular, the completeness and consistency of denazification in 1945. First published in 2005, the book has been translated into more than 20 languages. Judt's multifaceted, uniquely comprehensive work has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and has repeatedly been recognized as the "Book of the Year" by authoritative publications.

Here are just some of the key topics that are explored in detail in the book:

— The "Marshall Plan": why American economic aid went to Western Europe but not Eastern.

— The division of the continent into two camps and its subsequent difficult reunification.

— Student unrest in Paris and the Prague Spring.

— The ideal of the "welfare state" and subsequent disillusionment in it.

— The struggle of the Basques and the Irish for independence.

— Decolonization and the beginning of mass immigration to Europe.

— The Yugoslav crisis and the bombings of Belgrade.

— The collapse of the USSR and the difficult path of Eastern European countries to sovereignty.