The Final Act

"Winner of the Edgar S. Furniss Book Award, Mershon Center for International Security Studies" Michael Cotey Morgan is associate professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The first in-depth account of the historic diplomatic agreement that served as a blueprint for ending the Cold War

The Helsinki Final Act was a watershed of the Cold War. Signed by thirty-five European and North American leaders at a summit in Finland in the summer of 1975, the agreement presented a vision for peace based on common principles and cooperation across the Iron Curtain. The Final Act is the first in-depth account of the diplomatic saga that produced this historic agreement. Drawing on research in eight countries and multiple languages, this gripping book explains the Final Act's emergence from the parallel crises of the Soviet bloc and the West during the 1960s, the strategies of the major players, and the conflicting designs for international order that animated the negotiations.

Helsinki had originally been a Soviet idea. But after nearly three years of grinding negotiations, the Final Act reflected liberal democratic ideals more than communist ones. It rejected the Brezhnev Doctrine, provided for German reunification, endorsed human rights as a core principle of international security, committed countries to greater transparency in economic and military affairs, and promoted the freer movement of people and information across borders. Instead of restoring the legitimacy of the Soviet bloc, Helsinki established principles that undermined it.

The definitive history of the origins and legacy of this important agreement, The Final Act shows how it served as a blueprint for ending the Cold War, and how, when that conflict finally came to a close, the great powers established a new international order based on Helsinki's enduring principles. "[Morgan's] account of the negotiations is hugely interesting."---Benjamin Nathans, Times Literary Supplement "Fascinating."---Andrew Preston, London Review of Books "Morgan . . . makes a convincing case that in terms of importance, Helsinki was on a par with Westphalia, Vienna, and Versailles. Highly recommended." "A fine story of intrigue and manipulation worthy of the best writers. . . . An authoritative book that should be widely read." "Morgan has done a brilliant job. . . . The Final Act, a volume in the Princeton series 'America in the World,' is an essential read for anyone interested in the Cold War." "The most richly documented account of the negotiations."---Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs "A must read for policymakers."---Jesse McIntyre III, Military Review "Morgan's skillful synthesis of his manifold research findings and the cultural-historical analysis of the negotiations make the book extremely worth reading." "Fascinating."---David Skok, The Logic "The Final Act debunks the many myths and simplifications about the Helsinki agreement that have surrounded it ever since 1975 and is an extremely valuable contribution to the current reevaluation of the late Cold War . . . . [Morgan] has succeeded in creating an effortless narrative of a complicated international diplomatic process while highlighting its far-reaching importance . . . . It is hard to imagine a more balanced account. This book is sure to become the standard work of reference for research focusing on topics as varied as human rights, trade relations, activist groups and international diplomacy in the 1970s and 1980s."---Rósa Magnúsdóttir, The Slavonic and East European Review "[The Final Act] reveal[s] much about a game-changer in history. The research is exhaustive and fascinating."---Jordan Luber, New Eastern Europe "Michael Cotey Morgan's book greatly enriches the literature on international relations in the 1945-1991 period." "The Helsinki Final Act, signed by 35 European and North American leaders in 1975, represented the signatories' vision for a cooperative relationship