Soviet-American relations, 1953-1960 : diplomacy and cultural exchange during the Eisenhower presidency

Dwight D. Eisenhower and Nikita Khrushchev presided over a pivotal period in Soviet-American relations. Any goodwill lingering from the nations' WWII alliance was quickly withering in the face of their worldwide ideological battle, physically manifested in the Korean conflict. Stalin's poisonous shadow no longer lay upon the Soviet Union, but what would emerge remained to be seen. The darkest days of the Cold War lay ahead, yet during this uncertain and unsettled time the seeds of a new relationship were planted. Diplomatic, scientific and cultural exchanges, unthinkable under Stalin, once again became a possibility. It would take decades, and the results were unforeseeable, but those first tentative steps taken by leaders forged in war would help lead to the peaceful coexistence their countries share today. This history of relations between the Soviet Union and the United States during the Eisenhower and Khrushchev administrations explores political, social and cultural exchanges, and assesses their impact upon the two countries. Besides diplomatic documents, memoirs from Americans and Soviets, and works of history, it relies upon eyewitness accounts by journalists, tourists and others to paint a detailed picture of the era. Notes are included for each chapter, and there is a bibliography and an index.