Why, after decades of stasis, did the Cold War move to an expeditious end? None of the explanations advanced by historians and international-relations experts (Mikhail Gorbachev's daring; Ronald Reagan's vision; the effects of Chernobyl, SDI, or Soviet economic decline) fully explain this remarkable occurrence.
Professor Schatz will suggest that we look closely at frequently-overlooked Secretary of State George Shultz, who was not only the principal negotiator for the United States in meetings with the Soviets but had a career as a trained and accomplished mediator before he entered government. How did he use his professional expertise and personal skills to bring the U.S. and Soviet governments to a surprisingly peaceful close?
