"This memoir of Richard N. Gardner's years as ambassodor to Italy from 1977 to 1981 offers insights into the foreign policy of the Carter administration as well as into a critical turning point in Italy's history. This turbulent period was marked by the kidnapping and murder of Aldo Moro, the failed attempt of the Italian Communist Party to take power, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the seizure of American hostages in Tehran. It was also the time of Italy's historic decision to deploy U.S. cruise missiles, which Mikhail Gorbachev identified as a key factor in his decision to shift Soviet foreign policy toward genuine disarmament and peaceful cooperation based on the free choice of political systems." "Drawing on hitherto classified material, Gardner shows how wise diplomacy under President Jimmy Carter's leadership played a part in the defeat of communism in Italy and in the eventual collapse of the Soviet empire. His diplomatic narrative is filled with portraits of American and Italian leaders as well as revealing details of policy differences inside the Carter administration and between Washington and Gardener's Rome embassy. The result is a contribution to our understanding of crisis diplomacy and of the victory of the Western alliance in the Cold War. Gardener's memoir will be invaluable for all readers interested in the inner workings of U.S. foreign policy, diplomacy, and European politics."--Jacket.