History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
Professor: Dr. Jonathon Dreeze Email: [email protected] Office: College Hall 206 Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 3pm to 5pm (via Zoom) and by appointment – Zoom Office Hours Meeting Room ID: 930 235 3850 Zoom Office Hours Meeting Room Link: https://cornellcollege.zoom.us/j/9302353850
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
Classroom: West Hall 005 (Basement) Class time: Monday – Thursday, 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM In Person Fridays, 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM Via Zoom (All times are on Central Time)
Class Meeting Information Zoom Class Link: https://cornellcollege.zoom.us/j/99344283565 Zoom Class ID: 993 4428 3565
General Information Welcome to History 322! In this course we will be examining the history and complexities of the Soviet Union, which existed from 1917 to 1991. During its existence the Soviet Union was the largest country in the world, one of two world- wide superpowers, and played an enormous role in the shaping politics and society in the 20th century. The Soviet Union was the world’s first Marxist and socialist state. It actively, and proudly, rejected capitalism and sought (in theory) to build a workers and peasants paradise on earth. The Soviet Union was one of the main combatant powers in World War II, and was the decisive force in the ultimate defeat and destruction of Nazi Germany. The rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States, known as the Cold War, was the defining world-wide political feature of the latter half of the 20th Century. The Soviet Union’s ultimate collapse and disappearance nearly 30 years ago was unforeseen and had a profound impact in world affairs, the effects of which we are still dealing with on a daily. This course will focus on a variety of themes such as ideology, economics, nationality, war (and peace) within the larger Soviet experiment of building a workers’ and peasants’ paradise on earth. Three central themes of this course will be on the supposed inevitability of the victory of communism over capitalism, the unfulfilled promise of the Revolution, and the genesis of the Stalinist dictatorship. Stalinism in particular came to define the entire Soviet experience and was arguably the cause of the ultimate decline of the Soviet Union. There will also be a focus on the plight of the individual and their relationship with the Communist Party and the Soviet state. The main content of this course will be lecture, discussion, and writing work. The main written assignments will be two 5-page book reviews and short research paper on the inevitability of the collapse of the Soviet Union. I reserve the right to make modifications to the course and lectures as I see fit. Students are expected to attend classes (both in-person and online) faithfully, participate actively, and complete the reading assignments before attending lecture
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
(more on this below). Come to class on time so that you do not cause unnecessary disruption of your fellow classmates and do not leave class before it has come to an end. Please feel free to ask questions during class. Students will be responsible for materials covered in lecture and in all the readings. Throughout the course, students will learn skills that will be necessary for them both as history students and in most of life’s endeavors: critical and analytical thinking, writing, reading, listening, note taking, and public speaking.
Cornell Course Objectives Taking this course should help you do the following: • Identify and describe people, ideas, and events and their impact on European and military history (Knowledge) • Understand, analyze, and contextualize historical sources (Inquiry) • Locate and analyze primary and secondary sources suitable for research (Inquiry) • Discuss and analyze historians’ methods and approaches to their topics (Inquiry, Communication) • Express your ideas and interpretations both verbally and in writing (Communication)
General Course Objectives By completing the requirements for this class, students will: 1. Acquire a perspective on history and an understanding of the factors that shape human activity. This knowledge will furnish students insights into the origins and nature of contemporary issues and a foundation for future comparative understanding of societies, cultures, and ideologies. 2. Develop critical thinking skills through the study of diverse interpretations of historical events. 3. Apply critical thinking through historical analysis of primary and secondary sources. 5. Develop an understanding of the patterns of European, military, and Soviet history and how they inform present day society, politics, and foreign relations.
Course Format This course is a synchronous hybrid course. It meets five (5) days a week. On Monday through Thursday the course will meet in person in West Hall 005 (in the basement) from 12:30 PM to 3:00PM. On Fridays the course will be held in its entirety on Zoom during the regular class time. All classes are on Central Time. 3
History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
Due to the work load for this course there will be several writing days during which there will be no class held. Writing days, as well as any deviations from the regular schedule are highlighted in green in the course schedule below. Those students who have registered with the Residence Life Office are permitted to the course online. Approved online-only students are expected to virtually attend every class session in their entirety. I have designed this course in a hybrid format for two specific reasons. The first is to maintain a semblance of the normalcy and rich interactivity that comes with traditional in-person classes. The second reason for the hybrid design is so that the course can quickly and seamlessly transition to an entirely online format if the need arises. If the need arises for campus to close and students to be sent home, the class will go to an entirely online format carried out via Zoom, much like the regular Friday session. If such a transition occurs, disruptions can be expected and the class schedule will be modified accordingly. If there are any questions or concerns about the format of the course please do not hesitate to contact me.
Class Meeting Information Zoom Class Link: https://cornellcollege.zoom.us/j/99344283565 Zoom Class ID: 993 4428 3565
Zoom Office Hours Meeting Room ID: 930 235 3850 Zoom Office Hours Meeting Room Link: https://cornellcollege.zoom.us/j/9302353850
Course Technology For help with your password, college email, Moodle, or any other technology issues, questions, or requests contact the Cornell IT offices. In an attempt to make this course as simple as possible, there is no specialized technology nor software required. Students will need a personal computer with a webcam, a stable internet connection, as well as access to Zoom and a google account. Students may wish to use headphones and a separate microphone during the course’s online sessions.
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
Covid-19 Expectations Given the brave new world that we find ourselves in, all students are expected to adhere to the college’s rules and regulations regarding social distancing and face coverings. Cornell’s rules and regulations for social distancing are all outlined in the Cornellian Commitment, which can be found online here. For convenience I have included the entirety of the Cornellian Commitment in the syllabus:
Cornellian Commitment
As a Cornell student, faculty member, or staff member, I must take actions to protect myself and others in the campus and local community. I affirm that I care for the Cornell community and respect the dignity of other community members, as defined in the declaration of community expectations. I must remain aware of and practice health and safety precautions initiated by the college to reduce exposure and the spread of COVID-19 and other infections. I understand that my health, the health of others, and the opportunity to have in-person classes is, in large part, influenced by my commitment to the actions outlined below.
I am committed to protecting myself and others by
• using the Symptom Checker daily prior to leaving my residence hall room or home • washing my hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer • wearing a face covering inside any campus building and outdoors when within 6 feet of others both on campus and in the greater community • maintaining physical distancing in shared spaces and abiding by distancing instructions in specific areas • remaining in my room/home and immediately reporting if I develop a COVID-19 symptom or symptoms or if I am exposed to someone who has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19: fever of 100.4 or higher, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, chills, muscle pain, headache, sudden loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea. (If any of these symptoms are a known chronic symptom, they should not be reported.) o Students: call Student Health Center (319-895-4292) o Faculty/Staff: contact your health care provider and HR (319-895-4243) • quarantining per public health guidelines if I test positive for COVID-19 • self-isolate for the required length of time if I am a positive contact • keeping my clothing, belongings, personal spaces, and shared common spaces clean • contacting faculty and staff members via email to schedule an appointment prior to visiting their offices
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
• encouraging others to take these health-conscious actions to limit exposure • participating in testing and contract tracing (as requested by the college) • limiting travel off campus as much as possible
All students, as well as myself, will be required to have face coverings, either a face mask or a face shield, while in class. These coverings must be worn appropriately. Please talk with the instructor if you are unable, due to health reasons and with official documentation, to wear a face covering. Appropriate accommodations can be made. Masks will be available at the following locations: The Info Desk, Cole Library, and Campus Safety. Students will be seated with at least 6 feet of space between each other. In order to better facilitate social distancing and possible contact tracing, students will be assigned seats on the first day of class and attendance will be meticulously kept. Due to the requirement to wear face coverings when in public space, no food or drink are allowed in the physical classroom. All students who will be on campus are required to complete the Cornell Symptom Checker daily before physically coming to class. The symptom checker can be found here. It is expected that every student will have the means to take their own temperature. After completing the symptom checker, students that have a temperature at or above 100 degrees, are symptomatic, or indicate they have had contact with someone who has COVID-19 will receive an automatic response telling them to remain in their residence and to contact the Student Health Center (319-895-4292). The instructor has access to student’s symptom tracker information and will review the information before the start of class. As per college rules, the instructor will notify the administration of any student who has not completed the symptom checker by the start of class time (12:30 PM). The college administration has ordered all instructors to tell students who show up for an in-person class without completing the symptom checker that they cannot attend class in-person. If a student arrives to class without having updated the symptom checker they will be asked to leave, fill out the checker, and then return to class. If a student shows up to class despite receiving an automatic response telling them to remain in their residence and contact the Student Health Center, then the instructor will tell the student that they can not attend class and the student will be asked to leave. If students are not able to come to class because they have been asked to stay in their residences by the college, if they are quarantined, if they have tested positive for Covid-19, or other Covid-19 related matters please inform the instructor as soon as possible, if possible. Students on campus who are required to stay in their residences can attend the morning class sessions on Zoom, presuming
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia the are physically well enough to do so. Provisions and accommodations will be made for those students who are unable to continue with the course for Covid-19 related issues. If the instructor is required to stay off campus for Covid-19 related reasons, class will continue in an online format dependent on the health of the instructor. If the health of the instructor prevents the carrying out of the course, then provisions and accommodations can and will be made for students in a manner that will not detrimentally affect their academic record. If the worse-case scenario takes place and campus has to close, the class will transition to an online-only format. My hope is that such a hypothetical transition will be seamless, but be prepared for possible class disruptions. Adjustments to the class schedule and assignment expectations will be made in such a situation. If students have any questions or concerns about these measures please feel free to reach out to the instructor. ([email protected])
Contact Information If you have any questions or concerns about the course please feel free to contact me via my email at [email protected]. I will try to respond to your email within 24 hours. When you craft your message, please remember that your emails should have a descriptive subject ( like “Question about History 210 assignment”), begin with a respectful salutation (“Dear Dr. /Professor Dreeze”), and conform to standard English with proper punctuation and capitalization. For an excellent overview of how students can most effectively use email with their professors and instructor, please read "How to e-mail a professor"
Zoom Office Hours Meeting Room ID: 930 235 3850 Zoom Office Hours Meeting Room Link: https://cornellcollege.zoom.us/j/9302353850
We can also talk via Skype if that is more convenient for you. If the posted office hours do not work for you, please feel free to email me and we can arrange a different time to talk.
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
I want to doubly stress that if you are having difficulties, problems, or questions about the course please contact me. Accommodations and exceptions can be made.
Electronics Policy Students are permitted to use laptops and tablets for notetaking and reference to class materials during the in-person portion of class. Use of laptops and tablets for any other purpose will not be permitted and the student will be asked to put away their electronic devices for the duration of the class. Under no circumstance should cell phones be visible or used in class. If there is an important phone call or message that needs to be taken, please leave the class to take the call, and then return once done. Cell phones do not need to be out, visible, or in students’ hand during class. Students will be asked to put their phone away. Repeat offenders will lose the privilege of using electronic devices in class or be asked to leave.
Disability Services Cornell College makes reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. Students should notify the Coordinator of Academic Support and Advising and their course instructor of any disability related accommodations within the first three days of the term for which the accommodations are required, due to the fast pace of the block format. For more information on the documentation required to establish the need for accommodations and the process of requesting the accommodations, see http://www.cornellcollege.edu/academic- support-and-advising/disabilities/index.shtml.
Statement on Diversity Cornell College affirms the importance and value of diversity in the student body. Our programs and curricula reflect our multicultural society and global economy and seek to provide opportunities for students to learn more about persons who are different from them. We are committed to maintaining a community that recognizes and values the inherent worth and dignity of every person; fosters sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect among each member of our community; and encourages each individual to strive to reach his or her own potential. Discrimination against any individual based upon protected status, which is defined as age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status, is prohibited.
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
Academic Honesty Cornell College expects all members of the Cornell community to act with academic integrity. An important aspect of academic integrity is respecting the work of others. A student is expected to explicitly acknowledge ideas, claims, observations, or data of others, unless generally known. When a piece of work is submitted for credit, a student is asserting that the submission is their work unless there is a citation of a specific source. If there is no appropriate acknowledgement of sources, whether intended or not, this may constitute a violation of the College’s requirement for honesty in academic work and may be treated as a case of academic dishonesty. The procedures regarding how the College deals with cases of academic dishonesty appear in The Catalogue, under the heading “Academic Honesty." Plagiarism, cheating, or other academic misconduct will not be tolerated and will be reported to the college administration. Plagiarism, as defined by Merriam- Webster, is “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own: to use (another’s production) without crediting the source,” or “to commit literary theft: present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.”
***If you do not understand what plagiarism entails as described above you must see me before beginning any assignments.***
The consequence of plagiarism is a 0 for the assignment, or for the course in general, depending on the severity of the plagiarist act.
Class Climate and Content Notes Our course readings and classroom discussions will deal with potentially upsetting and difficult topics including sexual assault, coercion, antisemitism, the Holocaust, and war crimes. We all may have emotional responses to the material, or to our classmates’ understanding of the material. At the same time, I expect all of us to contribute to a respectful and intellectually rigorous learning environment. Please read the syllabus so you know what is coming up. You can also ask me for more information about a topic or reading. You can also step out of the classroom or online discussion if you are finding the topic especially difficult. At points in the course politically sensitive and tense topics may come to the forefront. I expect every student to conduct themselves in a polite and mutually respectable manner, and to respect that differences in opinions their fellow classmates might have. Rude, inappropriate, and vulgar language, along with obviously disruptive and inappropriate opinions, will not be tolerated in the
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia classroom. I reserve the right to end inappropriate conversations, as well as to ask disruptive students to leave the class.
Required Readings The following books are required reading for the course. They can be purchased at the book store in the Thomas Commons or online via Amazon.
Grossman, Vasily. Everything Flows. Translated by Robert and Elizabeth Chandler and Anna Aslanyan. New York: New York Review of Books, 2009.
Kenez, Peter. A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to its Legacy, 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020.
Koestler, Arthur. Darkness at Noon. Translated by Philip Boehm. Edited by Michael Scammell. New York: Scribner, 2019.
Kotkin, Stephen. Armageddon Averted: The Soviet Collapse 1970-2000, Updated Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Other required readings will be posted as PDFs on the course’s Moodle page.
Assignments and Grade Layout
A) Office hours during first week of course 5 points B) Syllabus Quiz 5 points C) Map Quiz of the Soviet Union 10 points D) Attendance 10 points E) Reading Quizzes 10 points F) Darkness at Noon book review 20 points G) Everything Flows book review 20 points H) In-class discussion 20 points I) Final Paper 35 points Total Points 135 points
Office Hours: Given the extraordinary times we find ourselves in, and the additional fact that at least half of our class time will be spent separated from each other means that it is especially important to maintain clear and present
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia communications. As such, I am requiring every student to meet with me (via Zoom) for office hours during the first week of Block 2. A sign-up sheet will be distributed on the first day of class for student to pick a time to meet with me.
Syllabus Quiz: The syllabus quiz will be a brief and very low-stakes in-class quiz over some of the main points of the syllabus. Some possible questions are “What are the titles of the books we will be reading in class?,” “The last two days of Block 2 are writing days. True or False?,” or “What country will the map quiz cover?” The questions will be relatively basic and on information that you should pick up from the first day of class when we review the syllabus, and from some individual reviewing. The purpose of the quiz is for students to familiarize themselves with the components of the course and the syllabus.
Map Quiz: This course focuses entirely on the Soviet Union during World War II. As such, students will need to acquire a basic knowledge of the geography of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. On the first day of class students will be sent a map with various cities, borders, republics, and geographical features listed. On Thursday, October 8th students will be given a quiz and be required to identify cities, border, republics and geographical features on a blank map.
Attendance: Attendance at both in-person and online class sessions is mandatory. Missing even one day of class can put a student at a considerable disadvantage with their coursework. Any student who misses more than one day of class without an excused absence will have their overall grade reduced by 5 points. I understand that students may miss class due to illness and other issues. Students are permitted to miss one day of class without penalty, but it will be their responsibility to obtain notes from a fellow classmate, keep up with the scheduled reading, as well as meet with me (via Zoom) if you wish to discuss what you missed. If you know you will be absent, please let me know beforehand. If you are absent for more than one day you will be required to provide an official excuse. If students are feeling ill, but still feel up to participating in class, I encourage them to attend class via Zoom (on any day of the week) if able. However, only those students to have received official approval are able to regularly attend the entire course via zoom.
Reading Quizzes: Reading quizzes will be unannounced and given at the instructor’s own discretion. They will be short written assignments that the students will complete and submit in class. The purpose of reading quizzes is to ensure that students are completing the required readings according to the course
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia schedule listed below. Failure to complete the required reading in a timely fashion can have a severe negative effect on a student’s grade.
Books Reviews: There will be two books reviews/response papers that you will need to complete on Arthur Koestler’s Darkness at Noon and Vasily Grossman’s Everything Flows. Each book review should be five pages long, in Times New Roman font, size 12, double spaced, and use footnotes and Chicago-style citations. Both of these books are novels, and thus fictional. However, they closely correspond with seminal moments in Soviet history. Darkness at Noon is a chilling fictionalized depiction of the purges during the 1930s, and Everything Flows follows the experiences of several individuals in the post-Stalinist era who have to deal with how Stalinism interjected itself into, and sometimes destroyed, their lives. The questions I want you to answer for both books is as follows: How does this novel contribute to our understanding of Soviet history? In short, why are these books important in our broader study of the Soviet experience? What questions and perspectives do these novels provide that help us to understand why the Soviets did what they did? What were the authors trying to do, or what ideas did they try to convey through their work? Both papers should have a clear and direct thesis stated in their opening paragraph. While you are free to use outside sources, you should be able to successfully complete these assignments using only the sources from class. The topic/themes of the papers are meant to be relatively open ended so that you can have the freedom to argue and organize your paper as you wish. What I do not want to see is a mere summary of the plot of the novel or of the characters’ experiences. To provide you with the necessary context and information on the novels there will be in-class discussions of both of these novels before the reviews are due. We will discuss Darkness at Noon on October 13th and Everything Flows on October 19th. It imperative that you come to class these days having finished reading the books. These in-class discussions will provide a lot of background and contextual information for the book reviews. In order to provide you with ample time to write these book reviews there will be writing days on October 14th and October 20th, on which there will be no class. The book review for Darkness at Noon is due on October 15th by the start of class. The book review for Everything Flows is due on October 21st by the start of class. Both assignments should be submitted through Moodle.
Final Paper: The final assignment will be a short 8 to 10-page research paper in which you will answer two questions: Why did the Soviet Union collapse in 1991? And what its collapse inevitable?
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
You will have a degree of freedom in how you design your arguments. You will draw upon the sources that you have read in class to write this paper. You should be able to successfully write this paper using only the sources we have read in class, but you are free to use outside sources provided that you properly cite them. You are required to use at least two primary sources in your paper, as well as incorporate either Darkness at Noon or Everything Flows into your larger arguments. The paper must be in Times New Roman font, size 12, double spaced, and . 10 to 12 pages long. It is due on October 28th by midnight (Central Time) via Moodle. Only in exceptional circumstances will papers be accepted after this due date. Your paper must have a clear and detailed thesis statement/argument. Strong arguments can be made from different perspectives, but the key to writing a good final paper is to incorporate a plentiful amount of evidence to support your point. I want to see direct references to the texts you have read and lots of citations in your papers. You are required to use footnotes and cite your work according to the Chicago-style format. Especially strong and insightful papers will include a discussion of their own argument’s weaknesses and the merits of opposing arguments. Dealing with nuance and weaving together specificity and generality are signs of a skilled writer and a good paper.
Assignment Submission The book reviews, the final paper, and the extra credit paper will be submitted electronically through Moodle. Please use Microsoft word when writing these assignments. Please submit your work as a .doc or .docx file. If you are unable to submit in either of those formats please submit your assignment as a PDF.
Extra Credit There will be one extra credit assignment worth 10 points. If a student achieves a 100% (135/135) on the regular course work and also completes the extra credit, their final grade will be (145/135).
Extra Credit Assignment: Watch the 1988 Soviet film Mal’enkaya Vera (Little Vera). The film, with English subtitles, can be found here. Mal’enkaya Vera is a well known late Soviet-era film that is famous for its rough and dirty depiction of Soviet society. It was the most popular film in the Soviet Union in 1988, in part because it was the first Soviet film to have a sex scene. The film presents an excellent depiction of late-socialism in the Soviet Union and how the Soviet dream both came true and failed to come true.
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
Write a three-page reflection essay (double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 point font) on the portrayal of Soviet life in the film. What are your reactions to the character of Vera and her lack of interest in pursuing her education? What do you think of the physical settings and surroundings in the film? To what extent can you see the promises of socialism and communism fulfilled? To what extent can you see the unfulfilled promises of socialism and communism? What kind of message does this film convey about the Soviet Union? Positive? Negative? Somewhere in between? Your paper should have an introduction with a thesis statement, as well as a proper conclusion. Citations and outside sources are not required for this paper, but if you do use outside sources they should be cited using Chicago-style citations. The paper is due by midnight Central Time, October 28th via Moodle.
Late Assignments It is the responsibility of the student to complete and submit their assignments by the listed due date. For every day your book review or final paper outline is late, the grade will be reduced by one full letter grade. Due to the fact that the final paper is due on the last day of Block 2, extensions are unlikely except in extraordinary circumstances and or as a result of illness.
Make Up Work Students will only be permitted to make up assignments if they had previously been unable to complete an assignment due to illness (doctor’s note required), an excused absence, or other extraordinary circumstances. Reading quizzes that are missed because of the one allowed unexcused absence will not need to be made up, nor count against the student.
Grading Scale Grades will be computed on the following standard scale:
A: 93% and above A-: 90% to 92.9% B+: 87% to 89.9% B: 83% to 86.9% B-: 80% to 82.9% C+: 77% to 79.9% C: 73% to 76.9% C-: 70% to 72.9% D+: 67% to 69.9%
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
D: 60% to 66.9% F: 59.9 & below
Important Notes on Grading 1. I reserve the right to consider improvement when determining final grades.
Grading Your Papers Most of your grade in this course will be based on how well you communicate in writing what you have learned. You should refer to my handout, “Tips and Guidelines for Writing History Papers”. In addition, I furnish below brief descriptions of how you will earn your paper grades:
• "C” essays will include: an introductory paragraph that contains your thesis; a body of several paragraphs in which you offer evidence from the readings, lectures, and discussions to support your thesis; and a conclusion that reiterates your basic argument.
• "B” essays will include: all of the above requirements for a “C” essay plus more relevant data and analyses than is found in an average essay.
• "A” essays will include: all of the above requirements for a “B” essay plus more data and some indication of independent or extended thought.
• As for “D” and “F” essays: usually, these essays do not include a viable thesis and/or they do not include very much information from the course.
Class Schedule READING ASSIGNMENTS NEED TO BE COMPLETED BY CLASS TIME ON THE LISTED DAY. Readings are highlighted in yellow. Assignments are highlighted in red. Unusual schedule changes are in green.
Note: Due to the reading and writing requirements for this course there are two-built-in writing days during week two
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia and week three. In addition to these two reading days there will be no class on October 27th and October 28th. I have designated the last two days of the block as writing days so that you will have enough time to work on your final paper. I will be able to meet for office hours via Zoom during these days if any student wishes to talk to me about their final paper.
As the instructor, I reserve the right to make minor adjustments to the schedule. If the class falls behind schedule, or if outside events cause a disruption of the course’s regular schedule, the reading days and the final two writing days may be restructured and used to catch up on course material.
Class 1-Monday, October 5th
• Introductions and explanations of class mechanics • Discussion of Syllabus • Review of Assignments • Discussion of the importance of history, especially Soviet History • The Great Reforms in the Russian Empire and the struggle with modernity
Class 2-Tuesday, October 6th • Class begins at 1:30 today due to a faculty meeting. • Syllabus Quiz • Russo-Japanese War • 1905 Revolution and the October Manifesto • Stolypin Land Reforms • Russia in World War I • Read, “The Great Reforms”; Kenez (Textbook), “Introduction”; Sanborn, “Unsettling the Empire”; Yaney, “The Concept of the Stolypin Land Reform”; Fitzpatrick, “The Setting.”
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
Class 3-Wednesday, October 7rd • The Fall of the Romanov Dynasty and the end of the Russian Empire • The onset of the Russia Revolution • February Revolution • Lenin Returns to Russia • The Provisional Government • The October Revolution • Read,: Kenez, “Chapter 2;” (Optional Reading: Faulkner “The February Revolution”;) “V.I. Lenin’s Life and Legacy.” • Primary Sources: Politics“Abdication Manifesto”; “The Formation of the Provisional Government”; “The Formation of the Soviets”; “The April Crisis”; “Lenin on Dual Power”; “The April Thesis”; “Charges Against the Bolsheviks”: “On the Eve of the Revolution”; “Lenin Urges the Immediate Seizure of Power”; “Appeals of the Provisional Government”; “The Taking of the Winter Palace”; Conditions in Russia in 1917: “Depopulation of the Cities”; “Food Supply”; “Food Supplies Under the Provisional Government”; “The Winter of 1918”; “Peasant Mandate”; “Decree on Land”; “Bolsheviks and the Peasants”; “November Revolution in the Villages”; “Dividing the Land”; “Agrarian Disturbances”; Memoir: “Civil War Memoir Olitskaia”;
Class 4-Thursday, October 8th • Map Quiz • The Russian Civil War • The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk • The Polish Soviet War • War Communism • The Establishment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics • Read: War Communism: Lars T. Lih, Bolshevik Razverstka and War Communism”; Paul Roberts, “War Communism: A Re-Examination” • Primary Sources: “The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk”; “No Peace and No War”; The Birth of the Red Army: Order No. 1”; “Order No. 2”; “Conditions of the Troops at the Front”; “Condition of the Troops in the Rear”; “Red Guard into Army”; “Statute of the Red Workers’ Guard”; “Formation of the Worker-Peasant Red Army”; “Compulsory Military Training”; “Trotsky on the Role of Military Commissars”; “Trotsky on Employment of Former Generals”; “Holding Families of Officers Hostage”; Trotsky, “Report on the
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
Red Army”; Terror all Around: “Establishment of the Cheka”; “Arrest and Shooting of Counter Revolutionaries”; “Intensification of the Red Terror”; “Red Terror Legalized”; “Why the Cheka Was Created”; Lenin, “Lenin’s Letter to V.V. Kuraev et al”;
Class 5-Friday, October 9th • NEP and what was the Soviet Union • Avantgarde Culture in the Soviet Union and Changing Social Institutions • Soviet Nationality Policy • Leadership Struggles • Read: Kenez, “Chapter 3”; Terry Martin, “An Affirmative Action Empire”; • Primary Sources: “Resolutions on the Tenth Congress of the Russian Communist Party”; “Lenin’s Letter to Stalin”; “Lenin’s Testament”; “Bukharin and Dzerzhinskii Disagree about the Nature of Revolutionary Government”; Stalin, “The October Revolution and the Tactics of The Russian Communists”; Kamenev, “Speech to the Fourteenth Party Congress”; ‘The Kamenev-Bukharin Exchange”; “Voroshilov’s Letter”; “Stalin’s Letter”; “The Code of Laws on Marriage and Divorce, that Family and Guardianship”;
Begin Reading Darkness at Noon. Please have the book read for in-class discussion on October 13th.
Class 6-Monday, October 12th • Collectivization and Industrialization • Famine • De-kulakization and de-nomadization • New Elites • Read: Kenez, “Chapter 4”; John Scott’s Behind the Urals; (Optional Reading: Sarah Cameron’s “Kazakhstan and the Politics of Hunger.”)* • Primary Sources: Read Stalin’s “Dizzy With Success”
Class 7-Tuesday, October 13th • Class begins at 1:30 today due to a faculty meeting. • Terror and Violence in the Soviet Union
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
• The Show Trials • The Great Terror • The Mass Operations • The Red Army Purges • Darkness at Noon Discussion • Read: Kenez, “Chapter 5”; • Primary Sources: “Stalin to All Members of the Central Committee of the All-Russian Communist Party, ” “Stalin on the Arrests and executions of Tuchachevskii, Iakir, Uborevich, and Others,” “Beria to Stalin on Counter- Revolutionary Organization in Ajara,” “Stalin to the Secretaries of Obkoms, Kraikoms, and Central Committees of the National Communist Parties,” Nikolai Bukharin’s Letter to Stalin,”, and “Mekhlis to Stalin and Ezhov.”
Please have read Darkness at Noon by October 13th in preparation for an in-class discussion.
Class 8-Wednesday, October 14th • Writing Day-No Class!
Class 9-Thursday, October 15th • Darkness at Noon paper due on Moodle by the start of class • The Rise of Fascism in Europe • The Molotov Ribbentrop Pact • The Soviet Union during World War II • Read: Kenez, “Chapter 6” • Primary Sources: Primary Sources: Hitler, Mein Kampf; Mussolini “Fascist Doctrine,”; “The Nazi-Soviet Pact,”; Admiral N.G. Kuznetsov, “at Naval Headquarters.” • Video: Molotov addressing the Soviet people on June 22, 1941- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUt5is12ClQ; Stalin’s speech on Red Square, November 7, 1941 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM9xzuxSn1E; Stalin’s Speech in the Mayakovsky metro station of November 6, 1941 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_cbfLfMfMs;
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
Class 10-Friday, October 16th • The End of World War II in Europe • The beginning of the Cold War and the division of Europe • The Doctor’s Plot • The Death of Stalin • Read: Kenez, “Chapter 7”; Roberto Carmack, “All for the Front!: Nationality and Military Mobilization in Wartime Kazakhstan”; (Optional Reading: Veidlinger, “Was the Doctors’ Plot a Blood Libel?”) • Primary Source: “Report from Beria to Stalin, July 4th, 1944”; “Memorandum from Lavrenti Beria to Stalin”; “Letter to Nikita Khrushchev from Aleksandr Shelepin and Draft Resolution to Destroy the Documents Concerning the Katyn Massacre”; Evtushenko, A Precocious Autobiography; • Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGq-a6cyix4 (dramatization of the German act of surrender; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-y- 2AjOApI&t=187s (dramatization of Red Army soldiers in Berlin); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt0SACqvubg (Stalin’s announcement of victory); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hITzVSw6t18&t (Victory Parade of June 24th, 1945 on Red Square);
Please have read Everything Flows by October 19th in preparation for an in-class discussion.
Class 11- Monday, October 19th • De-Stalinization • Khrushchev’s Thaw • Space Race and the Virgin Lands Campaign • Discussion on Everything Flows • Read: Kenez, “Chapter 8”; (Optional Readings: Hopf, “The Thaw at Home, 1953-58”; Starobin, “1956 – A Memoir”). • Primary Sources: “Nikita Khrushchev’s ‘Secret Speech’ to the Twentieth Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union”; (Optional Reading: “The Capital Meets Its Hero”; “A Familiar Smile”; “Report of Vladimir Semichastnyi, Chairman of the KGB )
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
Please have read Everything Flows by October 19th in preparation for an in-class discussion.
Class 12-Tuesday, October 20th
• Writing Day-No Class!
Class 13-Wednesday, October 21st
• Everything Flows Paper Due • Cold War Conflicts • Arms race • Cuban Missile Crisis Simulation • Read: Cuban Missile Crisis Simulation Documents
Class 14-Thursday, October 22nd • Enter Leonid Brezhnev • The Brezhnev Doctrine and the Prague Spring • Détente • Economic stagnation and political ossification • The Invasion of Afghanistan • Read: Kenez, “Chapter 9”; Bushnell “The ‘New Soviet Man’ Turns Pessimist”; • Primary Sources: “Détente”; “Brezhnev and the End of The Thaw”; “Peaceful Coexistence and Social Progress”; “The Younger Generation of Brezhnevs”; “The Corrupt Society”; “Was the 1968 Prague Invasion Justified?” “Invasion of Afghanistan TBD;
Class 15-Friday, October 23rd • Gerontocracy in decline • Gorbachev comes to power • Perestroika and Glastnost • Read: Kenez, “Chapter 10”;
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
• Primary Sources: “Chernenko Speech”; Gorbachev, “Memoirs”; Election of Mikhail Gorbachev as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union”; Andreeva, “I Cannot Give Up My Principles”; “The Rehabilitation of Bukharin”;
Please have read Armageddon Averted by October 26th in preparation for an in-class discussion.
Class 16-Monday, October 26th • The failure of Gorbachev’s reforms • Chernobyl • Nationalism in the Soviet Union and the revenge of the past. • The August Coup • The End of the Soviet Union • Did the Soviet Union have a chance? • Armageddon Averted Discussion • Read: Armageddon Averted • Primary Sources: “The August Coup”; “The Formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States”; Gorbachev “Speech of Resignation”;
Please have read Armageddon Averted by October 26th in preparation for an in-class discussion.
Class 17-Tuesday, October 27th • Writing Day (No Class!) • Open office hours via Zoom Class 18-Wednesday, October 28th • Writing Day (No Class!) • Open office hours via Zoom • FINAL PAPER DUE BY MIDNIGHT!! • EXTRA CREDIT DUE BY MIDNIGHT!
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History 322: Revolutionary and Soviet Russia
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