‘EXCELLENT’ – The TLS
‘HUGELY IMPRESSIVE’ – The Independent
‘AN ASTONISHINGLY FINE HISTORY’ – Country Life
‘FASCINATING’ – Daily Mail

The definitive history of the world’s most powerful military alliance — from postwar Europe to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

In the aftermath of World War II, NATO’s founders believed only a united West could prevent another global catastrophe. Over 75 years, the alliance has indeed kept peace in Europe while evolving into a formidable political, strategic, and diplomatic force.

Deterring Armageddon traces NATO’s journey from secret negotiations after 1945 to the modern-day confrontation with Russia. It examines the constant balancing act between an often-dominant United States and Europe’s desire for independence, and how NATO has responded to crises from the Cold War to the Balkans, Afghanistan, and now Ukraine.

Peter Apps offers a vivid narrative of tension, rivalry, leadership, and survival — charting moments when the world stood on the brink. From the Korean War to the Cuban Missile Crisis, from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the chaotic Kabul withdrawal, this is the gripping story of how NATO shaped the modern world — and how it faces its greatest challenge yet.

Utterly eye-opening and deeply researched, Apps shows that the alliance’s history mirrors that of the past 75 years — an era defined by peril, diplomacy, and the fragile hope of peace.

About the Author
Peter Apps is a global affairs commentator at Reuters, British Army reservist, and executive director of the Project for Study of the 21st Century (PS21). He has reported worldwide as Reuters’ political risk and defence correspondent, trained with both the British and U.S. armies, and served full-time during the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war. He is also the author of Before Ebola and Churchill in the Trenches.