Austria and the Cold War. Balancing Between East and West - Günter Josef Bischof;Peter Ruggenthaler

The first history of the Cold War in Austria written in English. It covers East-West tensions from the immediate postwar period to 1989/90, delving into Austria's mediation efforts between East and West and its role as a “bridge-builder” between the Cold War blocs. It also covers the cultural Cold War, Vienna as a haven for intelligence services, and the nuclear era, as well as Austria's failed attempts to join the European Economic Community. When the Iron Curtain descended over Europe, Austria was in danger of division; as a neutral state bordering communist dictatorships for more than a thousand kilometers, it became a mediator, bridge-builder, and negotiator between the blocs.