The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Collapse and Rebirth in Eastern Europe

The value of Stokes's account of Communism in Eastern Europe is twofold. First of all, Stokes provides us with an incredibly detailed account of how and why the Communist Bloc nations abandoned their socialist regimes and ended the Cold War. By exploring the roots of the Cold War in the immediate postwar era, Stokes successfully traces the rise and fall of the nuanced Communist regimes of Eastern Europe.More importantly, however, Stokes puts the rise and fall of the Communist regimes into the context of twentieth century European history and attempts to tackle the larger question of what we can conclude about Europe as a whole. Viewing Europe as inherently united and indivisible, Stokes pegs Communism as the second major tiding that kept Europe apart (Fascism being the first). Just as Communism seemed to be the most expedient solution for postwar recovery after 1945, by 1989, the bloc countries had realized that they had not found the solution.This book is a must-read for anyone looking to learn more about the dividing force that was Communism, how and why the regimes revolted against it, and where the newly liberated countries are headed. Although it is not an easy book to get through (an abundance of details makes the book particularly dense), it is well worth the effort. For the most part, the writing style is effective and holds your interest, and the understanding of the Cold War and the meaning of the 20th century in Europe is invaluable.