A good reading account of the Battle of Stalingrad during WW2. Beevor does a great job describing in detail the way Stalingrad was won by the Red ArmyA good reading account of the Battle of Stalingrad during WW2. Beevor does a great job describing in detail the way Stalingrad was won by the Red Army, and what they had to go through to achieve that victory....more
A harrowing book about one of the worst aspects of Soviet society; the prison work camps known as the Gulag. Applebaum seeks to clear the untruths andA harrowing book about one of the worst aspects of Soviet society; the prison work camps known as the Gulag. Applebaum seeks to clear the untruths and reveals the more vivid account of the Gulag's inner workings....more
The tome for the fall of the Soviet Union. This New York Times reporter goes into detail about the collapse of USSR with depth, but also with a human The tome for the fall of the Soviet Union. This New York Times reporter goes into detail about the collapse of USSR with depth, but also with a human aspect. A must read....more
A very well-written account of the rise of the current Russian inner-circle in the highest echelons of power under Putin in the years during the downfA very well-written account of the rise of the current Russian inner-circle in the highest echelons of power under Putin in the years during the downfall of the Soviet Union. Starts with short biographies of the 6 main players in this history, and then gives a fascinating detailed account of their accumulation of and fights for power....more
Very readable and recent history of the rise of the criminal influence in Russian government following the downfall of the Soviet Union. Really uses hVery readable and recent history of the rise of the criminal influence in Russian government following the downfall of the Soviet Union. Really uses his understanding of Russian psychology gained by years as the Moscow correspondent for the WSJ to give insight into what happened and why....more
The book takes the building of Magnitogorsk, an industrial city built from scratch, as a way to show how people learned to "speak Bolshevik" and thus The book takes the building of Magnitogorsk, an industrial city built from scratch, as a way to show how people learned to "speak Bolshevik" and thus both survive within and use the regime; thus it complicates hugely the usual top-down view of the Soviet Union....more
An incredibly broad, well-researched and well-written book covering almost every facet of the Russian Revolution from its roots in the late empire to An incredibly broad, well-researched and well-written book covering almost every facet of the Russian Revolution from its roots in the late empire to the Bolsheviks' attempt to create a new communist society. It's also extremely long due to the amount of content and detail it covers....more
Pipes has a somewhat conservative take on events, but the writing clearly quarantines his opinion away from his facts, and, well, for someone who stilPipes has a somewhat conservative take on events, but the writing clearly quarantines his opinion away from his facts, and, well, for someone who still remembers standing in line around the block for stale bread in winter of '92, his harsh criticism is not unjustified....more
This is not quite a readable as Snyder, but a very well-written and well-documented comparative history of the regimes of Hitler and Stalin, highly reThis is not quite a readable as Snyder, but a very well-written and well-documented comparative history of the regimes of Hitler and Stalin, highly recommended for the enthusiast already familiar with the general details of each regime's history and wanting to really gain an understanding of their similarities and differences....more
A great survey that focuses on several key periods--Truman's presidency, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Reagan and Gorbachev, etc.--rather than the entiretA great survey that focuses on several key periods--Truman's presidency, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Reagan and Gorbachev, etc.--rather than the entirety of the Cold War. It's one of the best introductions to the Cold War that opposes John Lewis Gaddis's interpretations. For Leffler, the Cold War was not inevitable, and it was Gorbachev that ended it. Like Gaddis, this book focuses strictly on the relationship between the U.S. and Soviet Union....more
This seminal work on Soviet deception practices and operations is unique in its depth and scope, covering every one of the Red Army's deception operatThis seminal work on Soviet deception practices and operations is unique in its depth and scope, covering every one of the Red Army's deception operation from the war's start to finish. It examines the increasingly sophisticated techniques the Red Army used to deceive German intelligence and how deception was integrated into its operations and strategy to make it one of the most decisive factors contributing to the Red Army's eventual victory. One of the books most valuable features is its maps. Each operation examined uses side by side comparisons of German situation maps with maps displaying the actual deployment of Soviet forces, an invaluable aid and one of the best uses of maps in any work on the Eastern Front. This work is highly recommended to anyone interested in the war. ...more
A detailed study of Operation Mars, a Soviet offensive against the Rzhev Salient to the west of Moscow in late November 1942. The narrative is a very A detailed study of Operation Mars, a Soviet offensive against the Rzhev Salient to the west of Moscow in late November 1942. The narrative is a very detailed and well researched study of operations and strategy, with little attention to air combat or logistics, and should be familiar to anyone who has read his other works. His argument, that Mars was intended to be an equal or even larger counterpart to Operation Uranus - the Soviet offensive to encircle Stalingrad - is well crafted but has received significant criticism from other military historians. It is by no means the final word on the topic. According to Glantz the rather grandiose title was chosen by the publisher, not he, so don't let it dissuade you. Despite some faults, it's an excellent work about a little known operation of the war and should definitely be read. ...more
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