Stanford historian Sheehan charts what is perhaps the most radical shift in Europe's history. For centuries, nations defined themselves by their willingness and ability to wage war. But after World War II, Europe began to redefine statehood, rejecting ballooning defense budgets in favor of material well-being, social stability, and economic growth. Sheehan reveals how and why this happened, and what it means for America as well as the rest of the world.
"Wearing his learning lightly, and writing with a delightful clarity, [Sheehan] describes how Europe escaped from the horrors and heroics of total war to the safety and somnolence of Kant's 'perpetual peace.'" -Niall Ferguson, Harvard University
