ABSTRACT

This book is a brief, lucid account of Russian and Soviet history from ancient Kievan Rus' to the present day. Equal attention is paid to the early and the modern periods of Russian history. The author has revised this new edition to include the dramatic changes in the Soviet Union and its foreign policy during Gorbachev's first five years in office. The text is supplemented with maps and illustrations and includes bibliographies at the end of each chapter. Designed for use by students in either a one- or two-semester introductory course in Russian history, Russia and the Soviet Union will also be valuable to any reader seeking to become acquainted with the story of the Russian people—their tribulations and courage, tragedies and triumphs, and their remarkable contribution to world culture.

chapter Chapter 1|25 pages

Ancient Russia and the Kievan State

chapter Chapter 2|17 pages

Russia Divided and Conquered, 1054–1462

chapter Chapter 5|19 pages

The Molding of Russian Society, 1613–89

chapter Chapter 6|17 pages

Peter the Great and Westernization, 1689–1725

chapter Chapter 7|21 pages

Change and Continuity, 1725–1801

chapter Chapter 8|19 pages

Power, Backwardness, and Creativity, 1801–55

chapter Chapter 9|22 pages

Reform, Reaction, and Modernization, 1855–1904

chapter Chapter 10|20 pages

Revolution, Reform, and War, 1904–17

chapter Chapter 13|24 pages

Stagnation and Reform in Soviet Society, 1946–90

chapter Chapter 14|25 pages

The Soviet Union as a World Power, 1944–90