Vojtech Mastny (historian)

Vojtech Mastny (born 1936, Prague) is a Czech-American historian specializing in 20th-century international relations, particularly the Cold War and Soviet foreign policy.

Mastny received his Ph.D. from Columbia University. He held professorships at Columbia University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Boston University, and the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, where he is currently Professor Emeritus.

Mastny is a prolific author and scholar, having written extensively on the origins, development, and consequences of the Cold War. His research has often focused on previously inaccessible Soviet archives, providing new insights into Soviet decision-making and strategy. He is known for his nuanced and critical approach to the Cold War, challenging simplistic narratives of good versus evil and exploring the complexities of both Soviet and Western policies.

Selected Works:

• Russia's Road to the Cold War: Diplomacy, Warfare, and the Politics of Communism, 1941-1945 (1979)
• Helsinki, Moscow, Washington: The 1975 CSCE and the End of the Cold War (1987)
• The Cold War and Soviet Insecurity: The Stalin Years (1996)
• A Cardboard Castle?: An Inside History of the Warsaw Pact, 1955-1991 (2005)
• Stalin’s Defectors: How Red Army Soldiers Became Enemies of the People (2021)

Mastny's work has been widely recognized and has significantly contributed to the understanding of the Cold War era. He has received numerous awards and fellowships for his scholarship.