Drawing on privileged access to archives and interviews with key figures—including George Bush, Helmut Kohl, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Eduard Shevardnadze, and Mikhail Gorbachev—Zelikow and Rice provide an intricate, authoritative account of the negotiations and strategies that led to German unification and the end of the Cold War division of Europe.

The book reveals how the process was far from inevitable: as late as 1989, many Germans doubted reunification was even desirable. The authors detail the tense debates within the Soviet Union, the bureaucratic missteps that led to the opening of the Berlin Wall, and the delicate balancing act performed by Western leaders to ensure a smooth transition. They highlight the roles of Chancellor Kohl, President Bush, and Gorbachev, showing how their leadership and willingness to take calculated risks shaped the outcome. The narrative uncovers the backstage maneuvers, last-minute decisions, and high-stakes diplomacy that resolved the German question and transformed the European order, making the case that the peaceful unification was a “testimony to statecraft” rather than a foregone conclusion.