"This is the first English-language history of Poland from the Second World War until the fall of Communism. Using a wide range of Polish archives and unpublished sources in Moscow and Washington, Anthony Kemp-Welch integrates the Cold War history of diplomacy and inter-state relations with the study of domestic opposition and social movements. His key themes encompass political, social and economic history; the Communist movement and its relations with the Soviet Union; and the broader Past-West context with particular attention to US policies. 'The book concludes with a firsthand account of how Solidarity formed the world's first post-Communist government in 1889 as the Polish people demonstrated what can be achieved by civic courage against apparently insuperable gen-strategic obstacles. This compelling new account will be essential reading for anyone interested in Polish history, the Communist movement and the course of the Cold War."--Jacket.