Balkans Since The Second World War

This book presents the only comprehensive survey of the history of the region since 1945. It deals with the communist states of Albania, Bulgaria, Romania and Yugoslavia, but also has coverage of Greece. As an introduction to a complicated area and a complicated history it provides students with a definitive guide to the region. Since the collapse of the communist regimes of Eastern Europe, the Balkans have been more prominent in world affairs than at any time since before the First World War. Crises in the areas have led to NATO firing its first ever shots in anger, whilst international forces have been deployed on a scale and in a manner unprecedented in Europe since the Second World War. An understanding of why this happened is impossible without some knowledge of the history of the area before the fall of communism, of how the communists came to power and how they wielded their authority thereafter. This book is the only comprehensive survey of the history of the region since 1945. It deals with the communist states of Albania, Bulgaria, Romania and Yugoslavia, but it also covers Greece, `the one that got away’. It is an introduction to a complicated area and a complicated history. It will provide a definitive guide to all who are interested in this region: student, journalist, politician, lawyer, business person and tourist. R.J. Crampton is Professor of East European History and Fellow of St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford. He is the author of many books on Central and Eastern Europe, including `Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century – And After’ (1997). Since the collapse of Eastern European communism, the Balkans have been more prominent in world affairs than at any time since before the First World War. Crises in the area have led NATO to fire its first ever shots in anger, whilst international forces have been deployed on a scale and in a manner unprecedented in Europe since World War Two.An understanding of why this happened is impossible without some knowledge of the history of the area before the fall of communism, of how the communists came to power and how they used their authority thereafter. Covering the communist states of Albania, Bulgaria, Romania and Yugoslavia, and including Greece, Richard Crampton provides a highly readable introduction to that history, one that will be read by journalists, diplomats and anyone interested in the region and its impact on world politics today.