Anatomy of Post-Communist European Defense Institutions: The Mirage of Military Modernity

Although the West won the Cold
War, the continuation of the status quo is not a foregone conclusion.
The former Soviet-aligned regions outside of Russia -- Ukraine, Poland,
Czech Republic, and others -- sit atop decaying armed forces while
Russian behavior has grown more and more aggressive, as evidenced by its
intervention in Ukraine in recent years.

Thomas Young delves into
the state of these defense institutions in Central and Eastern Europe,
whose resources have declined at a faster rate than their Western
neighbors' due to social and fiscal circumstances at home and shifting
attitudes in the wider international community. With rigorous attention
to the nuances of each region's politics and policies, he documents the
status of reform of these armed forces and the role that Western nations
have played since the Cold War, as well as identifying barriers to
success and which management practices have been most effective in both
Western and Eastern capitals.

This is essential reading for
undergraduates and graduates studying the recent history of Europe in
the post-Soviet era, as well as those professionally involved in defense
governance in the region.