Though World War II ended in 1945, its effects were still being felt long after the surrender of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. Shortages in food, energy, and industrial production continued to plague much of the world, but especially so in Europe, where strained economies teetered on the verge of collapse. As millions of war-weary people across the globe struggled to build a better future, the decisions made in 1947 proved crucial in ending the wartime milieu and ushering in a new and more stable age.

This narrative history explores a wide variety of topics ranging from US politics and international relations to big band jazz music, race relations in sports, and television technology to tell the story of a world in transition. While focusing on the efforts and experiences of less well-known individuals who are often excluded from other histories of the period, the author combines information from interviews with archival and secondary sources to explain why 1947 was a pivotal year in the emergence of the contemporary world.