ABSTRACT
For nearly a quarter of a century Russia, with most of the foreign lands her Tsars had conquered now in federation with her as Socialist republics like herself, has grappled with trouble after trouble; civil war, the intervention of most of the great nations of the world, famine, and defence against a new world war. The Volga is no more a rampart. It is, as never before, the life-stream of Russia. Actors have crossed it many, many times. Theatres have started in almost every country federated with Russia, in almost every division inside her. The scientists of the Byelorussian Academy of Sciences, working in peace-time as Byelorussian members of the whole international Soviet community, were still regarded, when war engulfed their country, as members of the whole community. The past of Samarkand is very precious to Soviet citizens. Tamerlane’s tomb was opened in 1942 by Zarifov at the head of a party of archaeologists.
