Web Resources - Print Resources - Media Resources |
| Andrei Sakharov |
| Recommended because this website provides a brief but thoughtful biography of the father of the Soviet hydrogen bomb and later its most respected political dissident and proponent of Western liberalism until his untimely death in 1989--just as Gorbachev's glastnost was bringing democracy to Russia. One way to view Sakharov is as the "Soviet J. Robert Oppenheimer". Be aware of the fact that this is part of Time magazine's excellent "100 Most Important People of the Twentieth Century" website. |
| Chernobyl: Ten Years Later |
| Recommended because of its detailed coverage of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster through a series of Time Magazine articles written over the course of a decade. Start by simply reading the text of the story--which is accompanied by excellent photographs, then have a look at the additional Time articles on the subject. Be aware of the fact that there is an excellent Map and Charts section included in this website. |
| Chronology of Russian History: The Soviet Period (1917-1991) |
| Recommended because this is a very detailed timeline of Soviet Russian history, wonderfully organized and fully hyperlinked. Start by scrolling down chronologically to whatever period in Soviet history (1917-91) is of interest to you. Be aware of Be aware that the periods of Soviet history are divided according to the ruler, and within each ruler's era are listed many important event, many of which are hyperlinked, often to more than once. Produced by Bucknell University. |
| Citizen Kurchatov: Stalin's Bomb Maker |
| Recommended because this is a biography of Igor Kurchatov, the father of the Soviet atomic bomb. It provides insight into a number of issues: the development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs; the history of the Soviet Union under Stalin and Khrushchev; the Cold War rivalry between the US and USSR. Start by going to the site index. This website is so extensive that it is hard to know where to begin and the site index provides a great overview. Be aware of the fact that there are a number of good links to other websites dealing with nuclear weapons issues. Based on the PBS documentary by the same name. Website produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting in 1999. |
| Cold War International History Project |
| Recommended because it features recent revelations from East European and US archives about important events occurring in the Cold War era (for example, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Sino-Soviet relations, etc.). Start by by researching a topic using the website's search engine. A wealth of information can be found here for those patient enough to look for it. Be aware of the likelihood that this site will be of interest only to those who want to know more than just the broad outlines of Cold War history. A production of the Wilson Institute in Washington, DC. | |||
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| Collapse of the USSR: Ten Years On |
| Recommended because this BBC produced website does two things very well. First, it gives a detailed chronology and analysis of how and why the Soviet Union collapsed. Secondly, it reports on how each of the fifteen newly independent states of the former Soviet Union were doing in 2001, a full decade after the USSR imploded. An excellent website. Start by going to the Timeline section of the site for a good overview of the events leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Be aware of the fact that this website has a Russian language version in addition to the English language one. |
| Collectivization and Industrialization (1928-33) |
| Recommended because this website is part of the Library of Congress's Soviet Archive Exhibit and it provides excellent background information on Stalin's plan of modernization for the USSR, launched in 1928-29, which called for the industrialization of Soviet Russia financed by the collectivization (i.e., socialization) of Soviet agriculture. The narrative is supplemented by recently released documents from the old Soviet archives which show how collectivization led to massive loss of livestock and even famine among the peasantry. Start by reading the text and looking at the accompanying Soviet documents. Be aware of the link between agricultural collectivization and the Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33, which led to the deaths of five to ten million peasants. |
| Excerpts from the Text of Khrushchev's Secret Speech to the 20th Party Congress, 1956 |
| Recommended because of the light it sheds on Khrushchev's first open denunciation of Stalin (in 1956), which led to a political thaw in Soviet Russia and threw the Communist world into turmoil, leading eventually to the failed Hungarian uprising in October 1956. Be aware of the fact that this webiste is part of the excellent Modern History Sourcebook. |
| Fourteen Days in October: The Cuban Missile Crisis |
| Recommended because the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 was perhaps the closest the world came to the exchange of nuclear weapons between the US and the USSR. This colorful and informative website gives the visitor the chance not only to understand the Cuban Missile Crisis, but to experience it. One can hear the same daily briefings given to President Kennedy, view the same satellite photographs he was given, and to read the letters that Kennedy and Soviet leader Khrushchev exchanged during the crisis. This is a first-class site that makes learning fun. Start by scrolling down the homepage and reading the introduction which gives good instructions on how to proceed. Be aware of the possibility that all of the features of the website may not be working properly--apparently there is ongoing maintenance to try to keep everything functioning. |
| Hitler's Invasion of Russia (1941-45) |
| Recommended because This BBC account of the Nazi-Soviet war puts a human face on an inhuman war. Incorporating reminiscences of German and Soviet soldiers in addition to giving the "big picture" yields a more complete account of the horrendous struggle between two militarized totalitarian states. Materials include photographs, an audio file of a German who recounts how he felt as he set fire to Russian huts, and a page of links to other excellent websites on the Eastern front. Start by reading the Introduction, the first of six parts to this history of the Nazi-Soviet War. Be aware of the excellent "Related Links" section of this website which lists fine articles (like "The Battle for Berlin in World War Two," and "Stalin's Betrayal of Leningrad"), timelines, biographies (of Churchill, Hitler, and Stalin), and other related materials. | |||
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| Kolyma: The Land of Gold and Death |
| Recommended because Kolyma was the most notorious slave-labor camp of the Stalinist era of Soviet history. It was a gold mining operating in the Soviet Far East where political prisoners were sent by the thousands. Most died due to overwork and the harsh living conditions. This website gives an excellent introduction to the camp: its origins, how it operated, and how where it fit overall in the Soviet economy. The compelling text is accompanied by photographs. Produced by a Polish survivor of Kolyma. Start by reading the introduction on the homepage, then move to the epilogue, where the author, a survivor of Kolyma, explains his motivation for creating this website. Be aware of the fact that this website is divided into nine chapters, each of which relates something about the history and operation of the forced labor camps at Kolyma. |
| Library of Congress Soviet Archives Exhibit |
| Recommended because this online exhibit does a good job of discussing the major periods and issues in Soviet history and matches them with state documents recently declassified from the former Soviet archives. The exhibit is divided into two broad areas: "Internal Workings of the Soviet System" and "The Soviet Union and the United States." The exhibit covers the entire period of Soviet history, from 1817 to 1991. Start by reading the "How to Use This Exhibit" section on the archive homepage. Be aware of the judgement that the archive's declassified documents, while interesting and important, can hardly be considered sensational. |
| Mikhail Gorbachev |
| Recommended because this website provides a brief but thoughtful biography of the last Soviet leader, the father of Glasnost and Perestroika who ruled the USSR from 1985 until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Noted Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya wrote this biography and gives it a decidedly Russian perspective. Be aware of the fact that this biography is part of Time magazine's 100 Most Important People of the Twentieth Century website. |
| Red Files |
| Recommended because it is based on a multi-part PBS documentary of the same name, and the Red Files website is an interesting and entertaining source of information on four areas of Soviet history: the KGB, Soviet Propaganda, the secret Soviet moon project, and the Soviet sports industry. Materials included with each subject are a full transcript of the documentary, accompanied by photographs, and interviews with historians and historical actors. Start by choosing one of the four areas listed at the top of the screen. Be aware of the fact that this website does not have lots of "bells and whistles," but is chock full of relevant historical content. |
| Reform, Coup and Collapse: The End of Soviet Communism and of the Soviet State |
| Recommended because it was written by the highly-regarded political scientist and Russian specialist Professor Archie Brown. This BBC website seeks to answer two important questions: What were the reasons behind the collapse of the Soviet Union, and how was this complex political system dismantled? There is nothing fancy here, only text and a few photographs, but the writing is good and the analysis is even better. One of the best short accounts of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Start by reading "Setting the Scene," the first of six sections. Be aware of the "Related Links" section to the right of the screen which has excellent supplementary materials. | |||
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| Return of the Czar: Examining the Failures of US Policy and Yeltsin's Leadership During Russia's Tumultuous Post-Soviet Transformation |
| Recommended because this very good website provides critical analysis of Russia in the 1990s. It gives very detailed critiques, both from the Russian and US perspectives, of how the Yeltsin government failed to guide Russia's difficult transition from Communism to liberal democracy in the 1990s. Start by reading the Synopsis to get a good overview. Be aware of the fact that there is a Frontline video (with the same name) as a complement to this website. |
| Russian Revolution of 1917 |
| Recommended because this is a good lecture by Russian historian Philip E. Mosley, part of the Dr. E's Social Science Webzine website. The lecture is a cogent, concise account of the revolutionary events that led to the creation of the first communist state. Be aware of the fact that this is a "low tech" site, however, as there are no illustrations or hyperlinks. |
| Sputnik: The Times Looks Back |
| Recommended because this New York Times created site focuses on the opening of the space race between the US and USSR with the launching of the first artificial satellite by the Soviet Union in October 1957. Uses NYT articles for source material. Be aware of the fact that there are lots of good hyperlinks embedded in the text of the website, including an audio recording of the famous beeping sound transmitted from space by Sputnik. |
| Stalin & the Communist Party in the 1920's |
| Recommended because this learning unit addresses a very important question in Russian history: did Stalin create the cruel, repressive Soviet system or was he himself a product of that system? Start by reading the article on Stalin in the 1920s by Norman Pereira. Be aware of the fact that, in addition to the article, materials included in the lesson include a timeline, biographical descriptions of key Soviet leaders in the 1920s, and a glossary. Produced by the UK's History Channel. |
| The Age of Totalitarianism: Stalin and Hitler |
| Recommended because this lecture does an admirable job of putting the rule of Stalin into the context of 20th century history as well as the history of Western Civilization. Start by reading the critical poem of Josef Stalin by Russian poet Osip Mandelshtam. The writing of this poem alone sufficed to bring about Mandelshtam's arrest and death in a forced labor camp--powerful testimony to the extent of brutal repression in the Soviet Union under Stalin. Be aware of the fact that this lecture is full of useful and wide-ranging hyperlinks that complement the text. Part of the History Guide, by Steven Kreis. | |||
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| The Chairman Smiles: Soviet Posters |
| Recommended because this site materials include thirty-three Soviet propaganda posters from 1919 to 1938, each of which contains full translations of their texts and other explanatory material. Terrific for showing how art was used by the Soviet government to support its policies. In color. Start by reading the introductory material on Soviet posters before looking at the individual posters. Note that each poster thumbnail can be clicked on to get a large view of the poster along with a brief description and explanation. Be aware of the fact that this site is part of a larger collection of Communist posters from China, the Soviet Union, and Cuba. Also, notice that one can access covers of early Soviet childrens' books from a link at the lower left side of the screen. |
| The Cold War |
| Recommended because this is the CNN's "Cold War" series home page. It contains a wealth of links focusing on the history of the Cold War, including primary sources and historical analysis, facts and figures, quizzes, interactive maps, educators' guides, and much more. This enormous site is suitable both for students and educators. Start by clicking on anything that attracts your interest. You cannot go wrong with this website. Be aware of the fact that this website was created to accompany the high-quality twenty-four episode history of the Cold War produced by CNN. |
| The Russian Civil War |
| Recommended because though the Bolsheviks took power in late 1917, it was far from clear that they could hold onto it for long. The Russian Civil War (1918-20) is significant in that the Bolshevik victory extended the power of the new communist government from a few major cities into the countryside and to the farthest reaches of Soviet Russia. This original article is recommended because it helps explain how the Bolsheviks prevailed. | |||
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| The Russian Revolution: 1917 |
| Recommended because this series of two lectures covering the Russian Revolution is exceptionally well-written and thoughtful. It is part of The History Guide, compiled by historian Steven Kreis. The lectures are illustrated and hyperlinked. Start by reading the text on the Russian Revolution. Should you be interested in other lectures by the same author, or in the commentary and resources he has provided on the general subject of history, then go to his History Guide website. Be aware of the fact that the author has a separate page dedicated to resources relating to the Russian Revolution. |
| The Russo-Finnish (Winter) War, 1939-40 |
| Recommended because this is a light-hearted look at a very serious, but neglected subject. The USSR's difficulty in defeating Finland probably accounts for the continued independence of Finland after World War Two, despite the fact that the Finns sided with the Germans against the Soviet Union. Start by reading the "In Brief" section at the upper right to get a summary of the article. Be aware of the links to two quality monographs on the Russo-Finnish war. A production of History House. |
| The Soviet Union's Last Stand http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/coldwar/soviet_stand_01.shtml |
| Recommended because this BBC produced website gives an eyewitness account of the so-called "August Putsch" of 1991 when hard-line Communists tried to wrest power from Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. The coup attempt failed, but in the process, Gorbachev also lost power and the collapse of the Soviet Union became inevitable. In highly readable and compelling prose, this website explains why. Start by reading "The Emerging Crisis," the first of seven parts outlining the events that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Be aware of the excellent links to related subjects provided at the right hand side of the page. |
| V.I. Lenin |
| Recommended because this website provides a brief but thoughtful biography of the founder of the Soviet state, who ruled the USSR from 1917 to his death in 1924. Pulitizer Prize winner David Remnick (author of "Lenin's Tomb") wrote this biography. Be aware of the fact that this biography is part of Time magazine's 100 Most Important People of the Twentieth Century website. |
| Yuri Gagarin: His Life in Pictures |
| Recommended because this is a high-quality photograh-laden biography of the first man in space, Soviet citizen and Russian Yuri Gagarin. Be aware of Be aware that even today, Gagarin has true cult-hero status in Russia and much of the former Eastern bloc. So an awareness of his life has both historical and cultural value--all the more so when today many Americans think that John Glenn was the first in space (he wasn't even the first American!). Part of the Russian Archives Online. | |||
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| A Documentary History of Russian Communism: From Lenin to Gorbachev Author: Robert V. Daniels (Editor) (3rd ed., 1993) |
| Recommended because Recommended as an excellent source for speeches, decrees, and other documents which chronicle the evolution of Soviet Communism. An excellent supplement to narrative accounts of Soviet history. Available from Amazon.com for $28. |
| A People's Tragedy: A History of the Russian Revolution Author: Orlando Figes (1996) |
| Recommended because Recommended as a thoroughly modern and state of the art account of the Russian Revolution. It is both balanced and a pleasure to read-- Figes brings the subject to life. Available from Amazon.com for $17.50 (paperback), $39.95 (hardcover). |
| Behind the Urals Author: John Scott (1989) |
| Recommended because Recommended as an account of Soviet industrialization, told by a young American welder who helped build the steel mills at Magnitigorsk in the 1930s. Chronicles both the remarkable successes of Soviet industrialization as well as its very high human cost. Available from Amazon.com for $15.95. |
| Journey Into the Whirlwind Author: Eugenia Semyonovna Ginzburg (1967) |
| Recommended because Recommended as perhaps the best memoir account of what it was like to be arrested, interrogated, and sent to prison camp in the 1930s during Stalin's "Great Terror." Despite the grim nature of the subject, this is a book that is students consistently appreciate and benefit from. Highly recommended. Available from Amazon.com for $11.20. |
| Khrushchev : A Political Life Author: William J. Tompson (1997) |
| Recommended because Recommended as a recent and comprehensive biography of the controversial Soviet leader. An even more recent biography of Khrushchev (and one based more on archival revelations) is William Taubman's Khrushchev: The Man and His Era (2003). Available from Amazon.com for $16. | |||
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| Lenin: A Biography Author: Robert Service (2000) |
| Recommended because Recommended as probably the best single-volume biography of the founder of the Soviet State, thoroughly up to date and remarkably balanced. Available from Amazon.com for $38.95. |
| Resurrection: The Struggle for a New Russia Author: David Remnick (1997) |
| Recommended because Recommended as one of the best books to help describe the strange, hybrid society that has emerged in Russia in the post-Soviet era. The author, by the way, won a Pulitzer Prize for earlier writing on Russia (Lenin's Tomb). Available from Amazon.com for $10.50. |
| The Decline and Fall of the Soviet Union: Forty Years that Shook the World From Stalin to Yeltsin Author: Fred Coleman (1996) |
| Recommended because Recommended as a comprehensive, yet not overly long account of how the Communist superpower Soviet empire collapsed in peacetime. The author is a journalist who reported from Moscow for more than thirty years. Available from Amazon.com for $19.95. |
| The First Soviet Society: A History of the Soviet Union From Within Author: Geoffrey Hosking (2nd ed., 1993) |
| Recommended because Recommended as a well-written, balanced narrative history of the USSR which emphasizes how people lived in addition to describing high politics. Available from Amazon.com for $25. |
| The Gorbachev Factor Author: Archie Brown (1996) |
| Recommended because Recommended because Professor Brown manages to write a biography of the last Soviet leader that is both objective and sympathetic--and one that was written long enough after the fall of the Soviet Union (about five years) that it has the historical perspective that the earlier Gorbachev biographies lack. Available from Amazon.com for $19.95. | |||
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| The Russian Revolution Author: William Chamberlain (1935) |
| Recommended because Recommended as an old, but arguably still the best account in English of the sequence of events that led to the Bolshevik takeover in Russia in 1917. Availability: apparently out of print. |
| The Soviet Experiment: Russia, the USSR, and the Successor States Author: Ronald Grigor Suny (1998) |
| Recommended because Recommended as a recent and balanced perspective on Soviet history by a highly-respective Soviet history specialist. It has the added advantage of covering well the non-ethnic regions of the USSR. Available from Amazon.com for $45. |
| When Titans Clashed : How the Red Army Stopped Hitler Author: David M. Glantz and Jonathan M. House (1998) |
| Recommended because Recommended because this account of the Nazi-Soviet War (1941-1945) is perhaps the most authoritative in print today. Written by Western historians who have researched the topic in Russian using recently released archival sources. Available from Amazon.com for $11.24. |
| 1917: Revolution in Russia (1988) |
| Recommended because this is a National Geographic portrait of pre and post-revolutionary Russia using historical footage (27 minutes). Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); or may be purchased from PC Micro for $55.97. |
| Cold War (1998) |
| Recommended because this is the very highly regarded CNN documentary on the history of the Cold War in twenty-four episodes. Be aware that some have criticized the series as being "too liberal" (i.e., too "soft" on the USSR and too "hard" on the US), but despite this bias (what documentary is without bias?), this series is very well done. Narrated by Kenneth Branagh. Each segment is about 48 min long. There is also a fine companion Cold War website. Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); the entire 8 video set may be purchased from Amazon.com for price of $99.92. And, oh yes, please be aware that CNN has created a fabulous website to accompany this documentary series. Episode One: Comrades, 1917-1945 Though ideological enemies, the Soviet Union and the United States are allies against Hitler during World War II. At the end of the war, Europe is divided, and the one-time allies now confront each other. The United States has the atomic bomb. Episode Two: Iron Curtain: 1945-1947 The Soviet Union dominates Eastern Europe. Churchill warns of the consequences. Stalin insists that the governments of the Soviet Union's client states be pro-communist. Impoverished after the war, Great Britain opts out as a world power. The United States assumes the mantle of world leadership. Episode Three: Marshall Plan, 1947-1952 The United States adopts the Truman Doctrine, pledging to defend freedom worldwide. Secretary of State George Marshall plans to bolster economic recovery in Europe. Seeing this as a threat, Stalin forbids his satellites to participate. The world effectively divides. Episode Four: Berlin, 1948-1949 In Berlin, the American, British, and French sectors form a Western enclave in the Soviet zone of divided Germany. In June 1948, the Soviets blockade the city, but the Western allies successfully airlift in supplies. In August 1949, Soviet scientists explode an atomic bomb, establishing nuclear parity between the two superpowers. Episode Five: Korea, 1949-1953 In June 1950 North Korea invades the South with Stalin's blessing. The United States, backed by the United Nations, defends South Korea, and then is confronted by communist China. In mid-1951 the war grinds to a bloody stalemate but eventually an armistice is signed. Aggression has been contained. Episode Six: Reds, 1947-1953 Following Stalin's domination of Eastern Europe and the loss of China, American democracy falls victim to anti-communist hysteria, but survives it. Eisenhower is elected president. In the Soviet Union, Stalin reinforces the climate of terror on which his rule is based. When he dies in 1953 the Soviet people mourn the end of an era. Episode Seven: After Stalin, 1953-1956 Thaw is conceivable with Stalin's death. Khrushchev outmaneuvers Malenkov for power and visits the West. Germans, Poles, and Hungarians attempt to rise against Soviet rule. In 1956, an uprising in Hungary is ruthlessly crushed by Soviet tanks. The United States, pledged to contain rather than overthrow communism, does nothing. Episode Eight: Sputnik, 1949-1961 In the mid-50s, the Soviet Union seems to be forging ahead. In October 1957, the first Soviet satellite Sputnik orbits the earth--to the dismay and fear of the United States, frustrated by its own ineffectual space program. In 1961, the Soviets launch Yuri Gargarin into space. American will have to meet the challenge. Episode Nine: The Wall, 1958-1963 The fate of Germany remains unresolved. West Germany has been admitted to NATO. Within East Germany, Berlin is divided between East and West by an open border. Thousands seize the chance to flee the communist system. To keep their people in, the East Germans with Soviet backing, build their wall. Episode Ten: Cuba, 1959-1962 Khrushchev decides, with Castro's agreement, to install short and medium range nuclear missiles in Cuba, only 90 miles from the U.S. The United States detects the missile sites and blockades the island. The superpowers confront each other; rather than embark on nuclear war, they each step back. Episode Eleven: Vietnam, 1954-1968 Vietnam has been divided since the end of French colonial rule. The North is run by communists, the South by anti-Communists. Ignoring warnings against involvement in a nationalist struggle, the United States commits its armed forces. American protests against the war mount. The United States realizes this is not a war it can win. Episode Twelve: MAD, 1960-1972 Throughout the 60s the US and the Soviet Union are locked in a nuclear stand-off. Each realizes that bombing the enemy could provoke retaliation and self-destruction. Nuclear strategy evolves into Mutual Assured Destruction, or MAD, in which both sides are guaranteed certain annihilation in the event of nuclear war. Episode Thirteen: Make Love, Not War, The Sixties Western economies grow and prosper, fueled by partly by armaments production. Rejecting their parents' affluence and the Cold War, many of the young protest and rebel. There is racial violence in US inner cities. Rock music expresses the mood of a disenchanted generation. Episode Fourteen: Red Spring, The Sixties In the Soviet bloc, communist rule stifles ambition and achievement. Soviet defense expenditure cripples economic growth. The young lust for totems of America's youth culture--blue jeans and rock and roll. In Czechoslovakia, Dubcek attempts limited reform, but in 1968, Soviet force crushes the Prague Spring. Episode Fifteen: China, 1949-1972 Chinese communists win the longest civil war in 20th century history. Mao's land reforms are popular, but in 1958 he embarks on a series of catastrophic changes. China maintains an increasingly uneasy relationship with the Soviet Union. In 1960 the Sino-Soviet split paves the way for President Nixon's historic visit to Beijing. Episode Sixteen: Detente, 1969-1975 North Vietnam launches a new offensive against the South. The US steps up its bombing campaign but seeks peace through diplomacy. Nixon and Brezhnev sign the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT). The US finally withdraws from Vietnam. Detente culminates in the Helsinki Declaration of 1975. Episode Seventeen: Good Guys, Bad Guys, 1967-1978 The superpowers use surrogates to wage ideological and often physical conflict. In 1967 and 1973, American backed Israel triumphs over Soviet-backed Egypt and Syria. In Africa, the Soviets exploit nationalist, anti-colonial struggles. The US supports South Africa in its battle against communism. Episode Eighteen: Backyard, 1954-1990 The United States has always regarded Latin America as its own backyard. Fearing the spread of communism, it seeks to destabilize leftist governments. In 1973, the CIA helps overthrow the Chilean President Salvador Allende. In the 1980s, it supports right-wing extremists in Nicaragua and El Salvador. Episode Nineteen: Freeze, 1977-1981 Concern for human rights in the East grows. Detente ebbs. The Soviets arm Eastern Europe. The US threatens to site missiles in Western Europe. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan ends detente. Promising tougher measures against Moscow, Reagan defeats Carter for the presidency. In Poland martial law is imposed. Episode Twenty: Soldiers of God, 1975-1988 Afghanistan is a war that costs the lives of almost 15,000 Soviet conscripts and an estimated one million Afghans. The United States supplies billions of dollars of weapons to unlikely allies -- Islamic fundamentalists. The result is a Vietnam-style conflict which takes its toll on the Soviets and hastens the end of the Cold War. Episode Twenty-one: Spies, 1944-1994 Early CIA attempts to penetrate the Iron Curtain are thwarted. The US reacts with increasingly sophisticated technological intelligence--the U-2 spy plane, satellite reconnaissance, and electronic eavesdropping. Yet human spies remain important. Sometimes betrayers, sometimes betrayed, many spies pay with their lives. Episode Twenty-two: Star Wars, 1980-1988 Reagan boosts US defense spending and proposes the Strategic Defense Initiative, an anti-missile system in space. New Premier Gorbachev knows the Soviets can't match the US and wants to liberalize and reconstruct the economy. After summits in Geneva, Reykajavik and Washington, the leaders agree to drastic arms cuts. Episode Twenty-three: The Wall Comes Down, 1989 The dominoes fall. Incredibly quickly, the Soviet bloc is breaking up, virtually without bloodshed. First Poland, then Hungary, then East Germany slip away from communist control. Gorbachev makes no effort to hold them back with force. Amid scenes of jubilation, the hated Berlin Wall comes down. Episode Twenty-four: Conclusions, 1989-1991 The US proves the stronger, the Soviet Union implodes. Germany is reunited. Shorn of its empire and communist domination, Russia faces its future with its economy in chaos. The balance of terror that has kept the peace for more than 40 years vanishes. The Cold War has ended without the use of nuclear weapons. |
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| Frontline: Russian Roulette (1997) |
| Recommended because this is as an investigation into the security of the Russian nuclear arsenal, with interviews of Russian and US military commanders and scientists about the potential for catastrophe in the former Soviet Union. Russian military officers also reveal how nuclear suitcase bombs may have gone missing, only to reappear later on the international black market (60 minutes). Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); apparently out of print. Be aware of the fact that there is a very fine website as a supplement to the documentary film. |
| Frontline: The Struggle for Russia (1992) |
| Recommended because this is a documentary on Yeltsin's presidency, economic and social chaos in Russia, and the battle between Yeltsin and his political opponents (120 minutes). Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); apparently out of print. Be aware of that PBS has created a very fine website to provide additional material on this subject. |
| Gorbachev (1997) |
| Recommended because this is a biography of the last Soviet leader, from the A&E "Biography" series. Gorbachev's drastic reforms led to the end of his nation as the world knew it. But ultimately, he was undone by his own success. Mikhail Gorbachev is one of the most compelling figures of the 20th century. The son of a mechanic from the Kuban, his vision to change his nation was shaped by his childhood experiences under Stalin's rule. Biography interviewed the former Soviet President at length for this historic program. In it, Gorbachev recounts how he rose through the party ranks without betraying his radical visions for the future. Once in power, however, the changes were swift and sweeping. Extensive footage chronicles the turbulent years of his rule, from the first stirrings of Glasnost to the unsuccessful coup attempt that marked the last gasp of the old, hard-line leadership. And Soviet historians and political experts detail his world-changing legacy (55 minutes). Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); available from Amazon.com for $19.95. |
| Harvest of Despair (1984) |
| Recommended because this is a documentary (in English) about the Ukrainian "terror famine" of 1932-1933 which caused the deaths of perhaps seven million or more people. Using interviews with survivors and as well as scholars, in addition to rare photographic evidence, the film argues that the famine was deliberately created by the Soviet Government as part of Stalin's decade-long effort to destroy the Ukrainian peasantry, which resisted forced collectivization of its farmland (black & white, 55 minutes). Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); available from Facets Multimedia for $19.95. |
| Inside Russia (1941) |
| Recommended because this is a complete survey of Russia prior to World War II (in English). The following locations and activities are shown: strange mountain tribes and customs of the Urals; ancient and modern customs in Tiflis; the oil fields of Baku; American machinery in Russian coal mines; the site of the Garden of Eden on the Black Sea; unveiling of Oriental women in Southern Russia; the Crimea and coast resorts of the Black Sea; the Yalta palaces of the Czar and of Grand Duke Dimitri; Karlov, Metropolis of the Ukraine; the Dnieper River Dam and Power Project; the city and peoples of Moscow; Russian sculpture, art theaters and native dances; the Kremlin, the Tomb of Lenin and Red Square; mass training of children at the home of Maxim Gorky; the home of Tolstoy; Gorky, the Detroit of Russia, with its iron and steel industries, the Tartar Republic; the Volga River; Stalingrad; the German Soviet Republic (400,000 German Russians); collective farming on the steppes (largest farm: 500,000 acres); diverse nationalities in Southern Russia (Georgians, Persians, Armenians, Turks) (B&W, 75 minutes). Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); available from Facets Multimedia for $49.94. | |||
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| Kolyma (1997) |
| Recommended because this is a documentary about the Kolyma forced-labor camp in the Soviet Union's Far East. In operation from the early 1930s until the 1970s, this camp was the scene of gold mining by political prisoners as well as common criminals. This documentary uses interviews with Kolyma survivors as well as archival film footage to describe the terrible conditions the camp inmates labored under (45 minutes). In Russian with an English voice-over narration. Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); available from Amazon.com for $9.98. |
| Lenin and the Bolsheviks (1980) |
| Recommended because this video consists of two Soviet documentary films (with English narration) on Lenin and the Russian communist revolutionary movement. The first film, "Lenin: Seven Years in Switzerland" traces Lenin's time spent in Switzerland prior to 1917. From the official Soviet point of view, Lenin's activities are described in glowing detail. Much of the footage shows where Lenin worked and lived (31 minutes). The second film, "October Days" chronicles the background to and outbreak of the communist revolution in Russia in 1917. Emphasis is on Lenin's crucial role and wise leadership in the overthrow of the old order(30 min). Excellent film for giving students the official Soviet perspective on the "Great October Socialist Revolution" as well as to show how Lenin's position in the revolution is elevated to that of a virtual deity. From the series "Inside the Soviet Union." Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); available from Amazon.com for $19.98. |
| Lenin, Vladimir: Voice of Revolution (1998) |
| Recommended because this is a documentary from the Arts and Entertainment Channel "Biography International" series. Called treacherous, deluded, out-of-touch, insane, Lenin might have been a minor historical footnote but for the Russian Revolution which catapulted him into the headlines of the century. Newly opened, formerly secret Soviet files, reveal a clearer picture of the fanatical philosopher. Narrated by Peter Graves, with commentary by historians Nina Tumarkin, Robert Daniels, Arch Getty, and Robert Conquest (55 minutes). Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); available from Save2Much.com for $19.95. |
| Long Road to Freedom: Russia and Glasnost (1989) |
| Recommended because this is a C-SPAN interview with the author of the book, The Long Road to Freedom: Russia and Glasnost, which takes a look at Soviet history. It was the hope of author Professor Walter Laquer that this work would help people better understand glasnost and Soviet politics under Gorbachev. To do this, Professor Laquer examines the Soviet Union all the way back to the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. Laquer discusses the historical roots that make up the Russian character and he analyzes the development of Soviet culture. He particularly addresses the role of individual Soviet leaders like Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, and Brezhnev (61 minutes). Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); apparently out of print. |
| Red Empire (1990) |
| Recommended because this is the highly regarded seven-part history of the Soviet Union which combines documentary film footage and interviews with participants in important historical events. Introduced by Robert Conquest with Geoffrey Hosking as historical consultant. Each film is about 54 minutes long. Produced in the United Kingdom. Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); apparently the entire set is out of print, but individual volumes might still be available from Facets or Amazon.com. Volume I: Revolutionaries. Russia to the October Revolution in 1917 Volume II: Winners and Losers The Civil War to Lenin's Death in 1924 Volume III: Class Warriors Collectivization and Industrialization Volume IV: Enemies of the People The Great Purges of the late 1930s Volume V: Patriots The Soviet-Nazi War, 1941-45 Volume VI: Survivors From 1945 through the Khrushchev Era Volume VII: Prisoners of the Past From Brezhnev to Gorbachev. |
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| Return of the Czar (2000) |
| Recommended because this is a documentary on post-Soviet Russia from the series "Frontline." Almost a decade after the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia is arguably more free than at any time in its history. But while the West has applauded the market reforms of former President Boris Yeltsin, in Russia there has been collapse. Today, as the country is being militarized, anti-Western propaganda is increasing. In pushing its ideas of reform, did the U.S. turn a blind eye to Kremlin illegality and compromise the moral authority America cultivated throughout the Cold War? As career KGB officer Vladimir Putin-Yeltsin's anointed successor-is set to ascend to Russia's presidency, Frontline takes an in-depth look at what Russia has become and why. Original air date, May 9, 2000 (60 minutes). Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu); apparently out of print. |
| Russia's War: Blood Upon the Snow |
| Recommended because it helps bring to life the story of the Soviet Union during World War II. A drama of desperate battles and the tremendous fortitude of the Soviet people. Hosted by former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, this 10-hour program features never-before-seen Russian images, once-secret documents, and leading Russian historians to explore Russia from 1924 through 1953. Available for free loan from the Ohio State University Center for Slavic and East European Studies (call 614-292-8770 or write to Keisel.1@osu.edu). Volume One: The Darkness Descends Lenin dies and leaves behind a power struggle for the leadership of the Soviet empire. He also leaves a testament - a fatal warning against Stalin's ambition. Nevertheless, Stalin rises to power and begins his war against the Soviet people: an assault on the peasantry and mysterious assassination of political rivals, and on the the eve of the war with Germany, his disasterous purge of the Red Army. (60 min). The Hour Before Midnight Hitler becomes ever more aggressive. In Spain, Fascism and Communism face each other for the first time, while the purges in the Soviet Union reach a crescendo. In foreign affairs, Stalin plans the most astounding about-face of the century. Hitler and Stalin become allies, leading to the invasion and partition of Poland (60 minutes). Volume Two, Part One: The Goths Ride East The Germans invade the Soviet Union, leading to chaos and confusion as the Red Army falls back. Stalin, paralyzed by the shock, retreats to his dacha. Minsk, Kiev and Smolensk fall. Stalin returns from hiding and signs the infamous Order 270, branding captured Soviet officers as traitors and committing their wives to forced labor. With the first snows, the Wehrmacht arrives at the gates of Moscow (60 min). Volume Two, Part Two:Between Life and DeathThe Wehrmacht thrusts south towards the oil fields of the Caucasus. On pain of death, Stalin specifically prohibits any retreat on the battlefield. The formation of the infamous Penal Batallions starts and the battle for Stalingrad begins (60 minutes). Volume Three, Part One:The Fight From Within During the war in the occupied Soviet Union, many oppressed Soviet citizens welcome Hitler, but their enthusiasm is short-lived as his plans are revealed. The Partisan resistance begins without Stalin's support. Then as he begins to accept the Partisans, he provides them with supplies (60 min). Volume Four, Part One: The Citadel During the spring stalemate, all eyes turn to Kursk. Soviet war production, now moved out of the reach of German bombers, increases dramatically. The Germans prepare to meet the Red Army on the plains of Kursk. This is the greatest tank battle in the history of warfare (60 min). Volume Four, Part Two: False Dawn 1944 is the year of victories. After a 900-day siege, Leningrad is finally liberated. The Red Army pushes westward and begins to retake the territories occupied by the Germans for so long. Once again, Stalin has plans for the people who suffer under the occupation (60 minutes). Volume Five, Part One: The Fall of the Swastika Germany is now on the brink of defeat. As the Red Army approaches Berlin, Hitler mobilizes both young and old to defend the doomed city. With the fall of Berlin and the death of his old enemy, Stalin turns once again to the control of his own people (60 min). Volume Five, Part Two: The Cult of Personality Stalin is praised by his people for the victory he alone claims. As old age creeps up on him, Stalin's obsessive paranoia continues the persecution of this people. His plans for territorial expansion are blocked by the threat of the atomic bomb. The Cold War prevails. In 1953, Stalin dies (60 minutes). |
Last updated: 10 February 2007