A Compact History of Latin America's Cold War

by Vanni Pettiná, Quentin Pope (Translator)

While not commonly centered in the Cold War story, Latin America was intensely affected by that historic conflict. In this book, available for the first time in English, Vanni Pettina makes sense of the region's diverse, complex political experiences of the Cold War era. Cross-fertilized by Latin American and Anglophone historiography, his account shifts from an overemphasis on U.S. interventions toward a comprehensive Latin American perspective. Connecting Cold War events to the region's political polarizations, revolutionary mobilizations, draconian state repression, and brutal violence in almost every sphere, Pettina demonstrates that Latin America's Cold War was rarely cold.

In the midst of the tumult, some countries showed resilience and capacity to bend the disruptive dynamics to their advantage. Mexico, for example, drew on a mix of nationalism and anticommunism, aided by the United States, to achieve strong economic growth and political stability. Cuba, in contrast, used Soviet protection to shield its revolution from the United States and to strengthen its capacity to project power in Latin America and beyond. Interweaving global and local developments along an insightful analytical frame, Pettina reveals the distinct consequences of the Cold War in the Western Hemisphere.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published October 18, 2022

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it for my diss and was super helpful #nicaragua 😜

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent overview of the Cold War in Latin America. As someone who doesn’t have much prior knowledge of the region’s history, I found it to be a great introduction. The book does a great job of presenting a broad look Latin America’s Cold War as a whole, rather than just focusing on a couple of countries or moments. I especially appreciated the attention the author pays to the economic side of the story, as well as the interrelationship between local conflicts and external intervention. The book also has some helpful suggestions for further reading. Overall, I’d highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in Latin America or the Cold War.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Focused mostly on how Latin America was impacted by the Cold War. It didn't focus on the Soviet or USA perspective which was refreshing.