Pablo Del Hierro Lecea is a Lecturer in Global History at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maastricht University, the Netherlands. He specializes in international relations and political history in the twentieth century, focusing on right wing movements and neo-fascism.

• Introduction 1. A Question of Pragmatism. Spanish-Italian Relations after the Collapse of the Mussolini Regime, 1943-1945 2. Allies in the Post-War Era? Spanish-Italian Relations and the Major Powers, 1943-1947 3. The Attempts to Normalize Diplomatic Relations Between the Two Countries 4. 1949: A Year of Important Approaches 5. A "Flirt" Between Madrid and Rome. The Spanish-Italian Rapprochement and the Role of the Western Powers, 1951-1957 6. The Limits of Rapprochement: In Search of Political Cooperation Conclusions

'Mainly based on new archival evidence, Del Hierro Lecea's volume offers both a stimulating analysis of Italian-Spanish relations and a thoughtful interpretation of those two countries' foreign policies in the early Cold War period.' - Professor Antonio Varsori, University of Padova, Italy 'An impressive account of Spanish-Italian relations post-1943. Thoroughly researched, Pablo Del Hierro Lecea manages to juggle a remarkable number of archives in five different countries to build this fascinating story. The clever inclusion of the major powers in the narrative makes the book an even more relevant contribution for the historiography of Spain and Italy, and also of the Cold War.' - Fernando Garcia Sanz, EEHR, Spanish School of History and Archaeology in Rome, Italy 'Subtlety of argument, deep research, and a lively writing style mark Pablo del Hierro Lecea's superb study of Spanish-Italian relations during the underanalyzed period 1943-1957. It treats both bilateral and international diplomacy with intelligence and care. There is nothing else like it in the literature of Europe's Cold War.' - Andrew J. Rotter, Colgate University, USA