Events That Changed Russia since 1855

(Hardback)

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Since Alexander II ascended to the Russian throne in 1855 and implemented a series of modernizing reforms, including the emancipation of the serfs in 1861, Russia has found itself in the throes of continuous upheaval, caught between the autocratic traditions of empire and the dawn of the modern era. As the advent of industrialization and two world wars thrust Russia onto the global stage, the ramifications of its tumultuous history have been felt throughout the western world. This unique resource presents and evaluates ten of the most critical events in modern Russian history from the pivotal years of 1855-1991, including the Russian Industrial Revolution, the fall of the monarchy, the Stalin era, the Cold War, and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. A full chapter is devoted to each event, and each chapter includes a factual introduction to the event, as well as an in-depth interpretative essay exploring its underlying causes, factors, and effects. Coverage for each event also includes an annotated bibliography of works suitable for students and an illustration for each. A glossary of terms, a timeline of Russian history from 1853-2004, a list of Russian/Soviet rulers and a population chart serve as ready reference materials for students looking to understand this critical period in world history. Since Alexander II ascended to the Russian throne in 1855 and implemented a series of modernizing reforms, including the emancipation of the serfs in 1861, Russia has found itself in the throes of continuous upheaval, caught between the autocratic traditions of empire and the dawn of the modern era. As the advent of industrialization and two world wars thrust Russia onto the global stage, the ramifications of its tumultuous history have been felt throughout the western world. This unique resource presents and evaluates ten of the most critical events in modern Russian history from the pivotal years of 1855-1991, including the Russian Industrial Revolution, the fall of the monarchy, the Stalin era, the Cold War, and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. A full chapter is devoted to each event, and each chapter includes a factual introduction to the event, as well as an in-depth interpretative essay exploring its underlying causes, factors, and effects. Coverage for each event also includes an annotated bibliography of works suitable for students and an illustration for each. A glossary of terms, a timeline of Russian history from 1853-2004, a list of Russian/Soviet rulers and a population chart serve as ready reference materials for students looking to understand this critical period in world history.

Reviews

This volume in Greenwood's Events that changed series consists of 10 pairs of short essays about Russia during the last 150 years. Each topic is covered in a brief (about 5 pages) introductory essay by the editor and a longer (about 15 pages) essay by a specialist contributor. Entries on the Great Reforms, populist radicalism, industrialization, the Revolution of 1905, WW I, the 1917 Revolution and the civil war, the Stalin era, WW II, the Cold War, and the collapse of the Soviet Union are uniformly good summaries that make use of recent historiography. Each essay is accompanied by a single photograph and is followed by a short annotated bibliography of additional readings in English. The book concludes with a glossary, time line, list of Russia's rulers, and a few tables of population statistics. The essays might serve as a helpful introduction to their topics for advanced high school students and college undergraduates. Recommended. General, public, and lower-division undergraduate libraries. * Choice *
Thackeray pairs his own contextual introductions with contributed interpretive essays profiling the 10 most important events or developments that have shaped Russian history since the accession of Alexander II to the imperial throne. The events profiled are the great reforms of Alexander II, the rise of the radical intelligentsia, industrialization, the Revolution of 1905, the First World War, the Russian Revolution and Civil War, the Stalin Era, World War II, the Cold War, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Each essay is accompanied by a selective bibliography. * Reference & Research Book News *

Author Bio

Frank W. Thackeray is Professor of History at Indiana University Southeast. He is editor of the Greenwood Press Events that Changed the World and Histories of Modern Nations series. He is currently working on a two-volume history of Modern Russia, due out in 2007.