The Soviet Union and Europe

Abstract

Abstract Will the Soviet Union ever be accepted as part of Europe? Can Russia be part of a “common European home” without disrupting European security and economic interests? Answers to these questions depend on the relative power of the “superpowers,” the extent of America's presence in Europe, the strength and direction of a reunified Germany, the progress made by post-communist systems in Eastern Europe to create democratic institutions, and many other factors. These are the conditions that will frame a Soviet role in European affairs. Through hegemonic alliances, military interventions, disinformation, assassinations, proxy wars, and a variety of other means, the superpowers have for decades sought to manage history.