The russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin basic books. Mass political and social unrest across the russian empire spurned on by the defeat by the japanese in 1905, the first revolution failed. The russian revolution by sean mcmeekin out of the blue. Mcmeekin represents the same bewildered view that many russian aristocrats had toward the revolution in 191its a view from the top and a view in isolation.
It helped my enjoyment of the book that the main points of his analysis hold up quite well, though the book was written in the late 1910s and early 1920s that world war one was a catastrophe and that those liberals and socialists who wanted to continue it. This is a concise introduction to the russian revolution from 1917 to 1945, that is, in the period prior to the cold war. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of russian and german history, mcmeekin provides perhaps the clearest explanation yet of how and why the october revolution of 1917 was the realisation of an outofcontrol german plan to destabilise russia and knock her out of the first world war. The collapse of the soviet union in 1991 has provided fresh perspectives from which to view the revolution out of which it grew. Stories and poems from the russian revolution is a collection of literary responses to one of the most cataclysmic events in modern world history, which exposes the immense conflictedness and doubt, conviction and hope, pessimism and optimism which political events provoked among contemporary writers sometimes at the same time, even in the same person. The russian revolution was a period of political and social revolution across the territory of the russian empire, commencing with the abolition of the monarchy in 1917, and concluding in 1923 after the bolshevik establishment of the soviet union at the end of the civil war.
This book is a richly detailed account of the russian revolution from the fall of the tsar in march 1917 to the introduction of the new economic policy in march 1921. The russian revolution of 1917 was one of the most explosive political events of the twentieth century. The russian revolution of february 1917 by marc ferro. Taking advantage of the collapse of the tsarist regime in the middle of. The soviet union ruled russia and its neighboring republics for 70 years. The events destroyed the tsarist autocracy, and helped create the soviet union the first revolution was on 8 march 1917, but in russia it was recorded as 28 february 1917. Between 1917 and 1922, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation. In this brisk history, mcmeekin ottoman endgame, professor of history at bard college, reevaluates the 1917 russian revolution on its centennial.
Thus one could say the book is reactionary because it goes so far as to deny cause itswithin russian society for either the revolution that overthrew the tsar or the later soviet revolution. For the first month after its inaugural postrevolutionary issue on march 12, 1917, pravda had been publishing its editorials in limited runs out of a governmentowned printing works on the moika. How were the russian revolution of 1905 and the russian. What happened during the russian revolution of 1917. Nov 05, 2015 the russian army joins the revolution. The real meat of the book starts in 1905, though, with russian defeat in the russojapanese war, resulting in unrest across russia, including, crucially for later, among the armed forces. A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian.
Mcmeekin is a reliable guide to a complex story and the book moves seamlessly and clearly across a vast landscape of people and events. His sevenvolume book, first published in 1922, was suppressed under stalin. Russian revolution 1917 meet your next favorite book. The russian revolution 19171922 and its impact on world. The russian revolution 19171922 the state museum of.
A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian revolution. The true story behind the bolshevik revolution of 1917 in the space of just nine months in 1917 russia underwent two revolutions, changing the countrys destiny forever. Apr 21, 2005 the russian revolution, 1917 is an excellent introduction to the history of that fateful year, and recommended for casual readers and beginners interested in the subject. Full text of the russian revolution 1917 eyewitness account. The first one was that of the february revolution of 1917, which. Lenins attack on legitimacy was so extreme that in april 1917 even his.
Social histories of the russian revolution home facebook. The russian revolution, 19171945 by anthony dagostino. Strangely enough, quite a few similarities with the much earlier french revolution that gave rise to napoleon. The allrussian soviet conference march 29 april 3 among other things was supposed to fulfil an important organizational or rather, perhaps, constitutional task. Russian revolution simple english wikipedia, the free. How were the russian revolution of 1905 and the russian revolution of 1917 similar. March 8, 1917 russias february revolution begins in st.
What was the russian revolution of 1905 and 1917 all about. Of course, lenin springs to mind as the great leader of the revolution, but when he. Within an overall narrative that provides a clear description of the 1917 revolution, he introduces several new approaches on its political history and the complexity of the october revolution. Between 1900 and 1920, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation. A new history, by sean mcmeekin, is an interesting book chronicling the russian revolution from onset to about the 1920s, or the end of the civil war. The author draws on interviews and on other kinds of now unavailable documents to produce a work that remains a unique view of early soviet russia.
The russian revolution was the most successful criminal conspiracy in history. In the russian revolution, historian sean mcmeekin traces the origins and events of the russian revolution, which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and changed the course of world history. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the russian revolution. The russian revolution by sean mcmeekin basic books. The definitive, singlevolume history of the russian revolution, from an awardwinning scholar in the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world. The russian revolution, 1917 is an excellent introduction to the history of that fateful year, and recommended for casual readers and beginners interested in the subject. Fortunately for historians of the revolution, he writes, the years since 1991 have seen an explosion of research into russias military performance in world war i from 1914 to 1917. A dense, sluggish recitation of the deposition of the tsar and the february revolution of 1917 and its aftermath, dual power or, as trotsky called it, dual powerlessness, which provides a numbing crush of details on the timorous liberal ministries of kerensky, milyukov and the cadets without adding anything to the scholarly lucidity of the first volume of e. Feb 01, 2015 february 1, 2015 october 22, 2015 mayachhabra history, memoir, n. During the russian revolution, the bolsheviks, led by leftist revolutionary vladimir lenin. The revolution can be viewed in two distinct phases. The russian revolution in school history textbooks. Dec 15, 2009 a quick summary of the russian revolution in 1917.
Now in a new edition, this provocative, highly readable work presents a fascinating look at events that culminated in the russian revolution. Lenin by victor sebestyen the russian revolution by sean mcmeekin 1917 by boris dralyuk october by china mieville 1917 by arthur herman books about. Full text of the russian revolution 1917 eyewitness account volume see other formats. Focusing on the revolution in its widest sense, sheila fitzpatrick covers not only the events of 1917 and what preceded them, but the social transformations brought about by the bolsheviks. Home the russian revolution 1917notes on the revolution n. On march 8, 1917, russias february revolution so named because of the julian calendar that russians still used at the time began with rioting and strikes in st. In 1917, two revolutions completely changed the fabric of russia. The book makes the even more astonishing claim that at the beginning of 1917 the. The russian revolutions of 1917 may be the most important and worldaltering event of the twentieth century, but restrictions on documents and official communist histories have often affected the efforts of historians. While the 1905 revolution was ultimately crushed, and the leaders of the st. Wade clears away many of the myths and misconceptions that have clouded studies of the period. The russian revolution of february, 1917 marc ferro.
The russian revolution was a series of revolutions in the russian empire during 1917. Sean mcmeekins new history traces the story of russias 1917. Even public officials are shy of commemorating that part of the. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Taking advantage of the collapse of the tsarist regime in the middle of world war i, the bolsheviks staged a hostile takeover of the.
The russian revolution of february 1917 marc ferro snippet view 1972. He is the author most recently of the russian revolution and the great war. He is the author most recently of the russian revolution and the. Author of the only fulllength eyewitness account of the 1917 revolution, sukhanov was a key figure in the first revolutionary government. The last of the tsars and a new history robert service dearly wants to indict lenin for the murder of the tsar but has to admit there is no direct evidence, while. The russian revolution of 1905 was said to be a major factor contributing to the cause of the revolutions of 1917. Apr 21, 2005 within an overall narrative that provides a clear description of the 1917 revolution, he introduces several new approaches on its political history and the complexity of the october revolution. Russian revolution 19171921, 19171991 soviet union. Learn more about the russian revolution in this article.
On the afternoon of july 4, 1917, thousands of soldiers, sailors and workers converged on a former. The takeover of an entire nation by a shameless huckster supported by a hostile foreign power. The violent revolution marked the end of the romanov dynasty and centuries of russian imperial rule. The russian revolution, 1917 new approaches to european. Representing the october 1917 russian revolution in school. Nevertheless, there are plenty of texts on the subject. First, the february russian revolution toppled the russian monarchy and established a provisional government. Mcmeekin is no ranke his book bears very unteutonic marks of haste. List of books and articles about russian revolution online. The russian revolution is a carefully researched, wellwritten assessment of the complex and confusing events that did so much to shape the last century. The russian revolution of 1917 was a political movement in russia that climaxed in 1917 with the overthrow of the provisional government that had replaced the russian tsar system, and led to the establishment of the soviet union, which lasted until its collapse in 1991. The unrest was triggered primarily by food shortages in the city, which were caused by the wider problems of a worsening economy and repeated failures on.
Jun 06, 2017 the russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin basic books. Russian revolution, two revolutions in 1917, the first of which, in february march, new style, overthrew the imperial government and the second of which, in october november, placed the bolsheviks in power, leading to the creation of the soviet union. Its premise is that the perspectives of the post1945 period are not adequate to understand the international setting of the revolution in world war i, the great depression, and the rise of fascism. The first section of the museum exposition devoted to the history of the russian revolution of the period from 1917 to 1922 depicts the circumstances, which led to the fall of the monarchic power in russia in march 1917, and describes the attempt to form a new democratic state system. Russian revolution of 1917 was a series of rebellions against the russian czar emperor, nicholas ii. Russian revolution 1917 score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. In the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the. The russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin. The russian revolution 1917notes on the revolution n. What president putins government calls the great russian revolution of 1917 was. Forgetting the russian revolution as an inconvenient past is an. Jun 01, 2017 to be fair mcmeekins book is a model of clarity and he is clear on his take on the russian revolution. To be fair mcmeekins book is a model of clarity and he is clear on his take on the russian revolution.
A monthly series of talks throughout 2016 and 2017 marking the centenary of the russian revolution. This bloody sunday was followed in succeeding months by a series of strikes, riots, assassinations, naval mutinies, and. The book makes the even more astonishing claim that at the beginning of 1917. The true story behind the bolshevik revolution of 1917. This happened because russia still used the julian calendar instead of the gregorian calendar, which is the standard for measuring dates. At this time, russia was being goverend by tzar nicholas ii. There were many precursors for the 1917 revolutions, which started in february and ended in october. List of books and articles about russian revolution. A both revolutions led russia to take a more aggressive stance toward other european countries b both revolutions resulted in bolshevik leaders gaining power before quickly losing it. Jan 29, 2020 the russian revolution s of 1917 may be the most important and worldaltering event of the twentieth century, but restrictions on documents and official communist histories have often affected the efforts of historians. The revolution swept away the russian monarchy and laid the foundation for the union of soviet socialist republics, also called the soviet union. The russian revolutions of 1905 and 1917 lemar farhad medium. Russian revolution definition, causes, summary, history. A hundred years on from the 1917 russian revolution when.
The russian revolution, 19171945 by anthony dagostino, 2011. Rex wade presents an account of one of the pivotal events of modern history, combining his own long study of the revolution with the best of contemporary scholarship. Of course, lenin springs to mind as the great leader of the revolution, but when he finally appeared, he had been out of the country for years. Free uk delivery on book orders dispatched by amazon over. Mcmeekin provides perhaps the clearest explanation yet of how and why the october revolution of 1917 was the realisation of an outofcontrol german plan to destabilise russia and knock her out of the first. Full text of the russian revolution 1917 eyewitness. Note that due to the introductory nature of the book, there is very little by way of economic analysis, nor is any significant attention paid to developments in culture. He also follows the moneyalways good investigative advice and provides a large number of footnotes and an extensive bibliography to support all the new stuff. Media in category people of the russian revolution of 1917 the following 38 files are in this category, out of 38 total. In the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world. Then in october, a second russian revolution placed the bolsheviks as the leaders of russia, resulting in the creation of the worlds first communist country.
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