The U.S.S.R. in Third World Conflicts: Soviet Arms and Diplomacy in Local Wars, 1945-1980

A reworked dissertation which, as one might expect, explores its chosen subject to the last available bit of evidence, and, as a welcome surprise, is written with clarity, good reasoning and style. Porter presents five case studies of Soviet intervention (in Yemen, Nigeria, the Yom Kippur War, Angola and Somalia-Ethiopia), applies various litmus tests, draws comparisons, and reaches some unassailable conclusions. The best book yet in this field.