Between Deterrence and Détente: British Ambassador Sir Roger Makins' Perspective on US Foreign Policy in 1953

The year 1953 represented a pivotal moment in the Cold War and set the course of global affairs for the next sixty-five years. The cessation of hostilities in the Korean War resulted in the creation of two opposing countries separated by a contentious demilitarized zone. This book presents how Great Britain’s Ambassador to the US, Sir Roger Makins, provided the British Foreign Office with weekly summaries of American political and diplomatic affairs throughout 1953. Examining the events of this critical year through the eyes of this British diplomat provides a fresh perspective on the Cold War.

Table of Contents:
Chapter One: 1953 and the Search for an End to the Korean War Chapter Two: 1953 and the Roots of a Sustainable US/China Relationship Chapter Three: Decolonization in 1953: French Indochina, British Malaya, and the Middle East Chapter Four: US Cold War Policy in 1953: Between Deterrence and Détente

About the Author :
Jeffrey LaMonica is associate professor of history and coordinator of the global studies program at Delaware County Community College.

Review :
“Between Deterrence and Détente:: British Ambassador Sir Roger Makins' Perspective on US Foreign Policy in 1953 provides a fascinating and important explanation of a seasoned British diplomat’s view of key issues in American foreign affairs at an important juncture of the cold war. As the book makes clear, the legacies from 1953 of the Korean War, the U.S.-China relationship, decolonization, the Middle East, and deterrence and détente with the then Soviet Union remain pressing issues in the twenty-first century. The need for the quality of analysis of a Sir Roger Makins remains equally pressing.” “Drawing on the weekly reports filed by Sir Roger Makins, the British ambassador to the United States, Jeffrey LaMonica presents a fresh insider’s view of how President Dwight David Eisenhower attempted to protect the Free World at the height of the Cold War. Though an ally and favorably disposed toward his hosts, Makins did not hesitate to criticize them. The result is a refreshingly candid appraisal of equal interest to students of history and America’s current policymakers.”