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Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR
Red Nations offers an illuminating and informative overview of how the non-Russian republics of the Soviet Union experienced communist rule. It surveys the series of historical events that contributed to the break-up of the Soviet Union and evaluates their continuing resonance across post-soviet states today. Drawing from the latest research, Professor Smith offers comprehensive coverage of the revolutionary years, the early Soviet policies of developing nations, Stalin's purges and deportations of small nationalities, and the rise of independence movements. Through a single, unified narrative, this book illustrates how, in the post-Stalin period, many of the features of the modern nation state emerged. Both scholars and students will find this an indispensable contribution to the history of the dissolution of the USSR, the reconstruction of post-Soviet society, and its impact on non-Russian citizens from the years of the Russian Revolution through to the present day.
412 pages, Paperback
First published August 22, 2013
About the author
Jeremy Smith
8 books1 followerJeremy Smith is a historian and professor of Russian History and Politics at the Karelian Institute, University of Eastern Finland (2012-), senior lecturer in Russian History at the University of Birmingham (1999-2010), and visiting professor of History at the University of Michigan (2010). He has conducted extensive research and written on the non-Russian nationalities of the USSR, the Union's breakup, and aftermath.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 7, 2019
An excellent introductory text on Soviet nationality policy. Smith examines the origins, implications, and outcomes of the policies implemented by the Bolsheviks, and how it worked during and after the Soviet Union. Every region is touched on, from the Baltics to Central Asia and the Caucasus, and it covers the entire era from 1917 until 1991, and the aftermath. For people interested in the topic, it is a great starting point, and explains things in a straightforward manner that is not hard to comprehend.
March 31, 2018
A really comprehensive experience of the Union republics of the Soviet Union. I was going to give a 4 because I felt at times there was a bit of hoping in terms of leaders. One minute the author is speaking of one leader then the next of another, then back to the first one. However, I believe this is just because I am not sufficiently acquainted with the leaders in question, so I do not want it to cloud my judgement when ratings this fantastic book. I mainly like reading about economic history of the Soviet Union, but what this book does is give a fascinating narrative to the internal political evolution and powerplays of the Union. None of the other books do that, as they seem to speak of the Union in generalist terms, often concentrating on macro developments like foreign policy or the five year plans. This book is essentially the academic 'gossip' (in a good way) of what went down in every single Union republic, plus autonomous Russian republics. It's good to gain a more qualitative perspective of the Unions history. This also includes a complex yet detailed overview of the developments of the Russian civil war. Definitely worth a read.
July 3, 2022
3.5 (Ebook)
A super duper detailed (at least to me) history of Eastern Europe, you know, those territories that make up for almost half of Eurasia and are incredibly neglected in our western education systems
A super duper detailed (at least to me) history of Eastern Europe, you know, those territories that make up for almost half of Eurasia and are incredibly neglected in our western education systems
June 5, 2023
Provides good analytical and factual detail just not particularly a thrilling read.
November 14, 2019
An outstanding introduction to the nationalities policies of the Soviet Union and the various peoples responses to those policies. I have been looking for years for a good textbook on this subject for my undergraduate modern Russian history class, and have finally found it!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews