DOCSLIB.ORG

Robert Conquest EDITOR's NOTE

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Robert Conquest EDITOR's NOTE MAY/JUNE 1993_________________________________________________________VOLUME 14/NUMBER 3 Robert Conquest EDITOR'S NOTE Robert Conquest 'The task of the historian/' writes Robert Conquest, "is the notori­ ously difficult one of trying to represent clearly and truly in a few hundred pages events which cover years of time and nations of men and women." For the past thirty-five years Conquest has been pursuing the his­ tory of a particularly enigmatic part of the world, the part known until recently as the Soviet Union. In looking at its past, Conquest adds somberly in The Harvest of Sorrow: "We may perhaps put this in per­ spective in the present case by saying that in the actions here recorded Moscow, Saint Basil's Cathedral, Red Square. about twenty human lives were lost for, not every word, but every — © Photo by Craig Line. (Inset) Photo by Elizabeth Conquest. letter, in this book." This issue of Humanities looks at the life and work of Conquest, who has been chosen as the 1993 Jefferson Lecturer in the Humanities. He is the twenty-second recipient of the honor, which is the highest award the federal government bestows for distinguished achievement in the humanities. Born in Worcestershire, England, of an American father and an Humanities English mother, Conquest holds dual citizenship. He was educated at A bimonthly review published by the Winchester College; the University of Grenoble in France; and at National Endowment for the Humanities Magdalen College, Oxford, where he read politics, philosophy, and economics. He left the university in 1939 and joined the British army, serving in Italy and the Balkans in World War II; after the war, he joined the British foreign service and served in Sofia, Bulgaria, and with Editor: Mary Lou Beatty the British delegation to the United Nations. He wrote as well, produc­ Assistant Editors: Constance Burr ing novels and books of poetry. Susan Q. Jaffe In the 1950s, having edited a volume of "thaw" poetry by Eastern Ellen Marsh Europeans, Conquest found himself intrigued by the path the Soviet Editorial Assistants: Amy Lifson Union was taking, its history still submerged six years after the death Nadine Ekrek of Stalin. From that interest came a lifelong fascination and continuing Editorial Board: Marjorie Berlincourt, scholarly study. George F. Farr, Jr., Guinevere Griest, Conquest has published fifteen books of Soviet history. In addition to Donald Gibson, James Herbert, Thomas The Harvest of Sorrow, they include Russia after Khrushchev, Stalin and the Kingston, Jerry Martin, Carole Watson Kirov Murder, The Great Terror: Stalin's Purge of the Thirties, and most recently, Stalin: Breaker of Nations. He has written three other books on Marketing Director: Joy Evans political themes as well as six volumes of poetry, two novels—one of them science fiction—and a book of literary criticism. He is a former Design: Crabtree & Jemison, Inc. literary editor of The Spectator of London. Since 1981 Conquest has been a senior research fellow at the Hoover The opinions and conclusions expressed in Institution in Stanford, California, and curator of its Russian and East Humanities are those of the authors and do European collection. He is also an adjunct fellow at the Washington not necessarily reflect Endowment policy. Material appearing in this publication, except Center for Strategic Studies and a research associate at Harvard's for that already copyrighted, may be freely Ukrainian Research Institute. reproduced. Please notify the editor in advance so that appropriate credit can be Conquest follows with interest the events in Russia and the republics. given. Humanities (ISSN 0018-7526) is "History, production figures, census results, were all faked," Conquest published bimonthly for $11 per year by the National Endowment for the Humanities, commented in a recent issue of Freedom Review. "But even more demor­ 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, alizing, the whole sphere of thought was controlled and distorted." He D.C. 20506. Second-class postage paid at writes: "The political situation is still dangerous. But at least they are Washington, D.C., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to shot of Marxism-Leninism. They may not quite know what they want. Humanities, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., But they know what they don't want." Washington, D.C. 20506. Annual subscription rate: $11.00 domestic, $13.75 foreign. Two —Mary Lou Beatty years: $22.00, $27.50. Telephone: 202/606-8435. Fax: 202/606-8240. 2 MAY/JUNE 1993 HUMANITIES THE MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES Page 8 Page 4 Page 29 The 1993 Jefferson Lecture Russian Culture Exhibition 8 A Conversation With... 4 The Riabov Collection: 29 Grand Illusions: Historian Robert Conquest A Photo Essay Chicago's World's Fair of 1893 discusses Stalinist terrorism By Laura Randall By Janis Johnson with Humanities editor An emigre bestows three A new exhibition looks at the Mary Lou Beatty. centuries of Russian art on his achievements and flaws of the American alma mater. nation's celebration of its 14 Robert Conquest: coming of age. An Appreciation 23 "...Now History Has Caught Up with Her" By Charles Fairbanks Other Features The life of the 1993 Jefferson By Constance Burr lecturer displays an impatience The detective work of Patricia with orthodoxies, whether Grimsted in documenting the 34 Noteworthy political or cultural. hidden Soviet archives. 35 Calendar 19 The Stages of Struggle 26 Faulkner's Idea By Anthony Hartley of Ownership How the material gathered by By Maya Koreneva Robert Conquest exposed the Humanities Guide The appeal of Faulkner's vision Soviet facade. to the Russian psyche. 39 The Annual List of 20 Excerpts NEH-Supported Books and The writings of Robert Conquest. Museum Catalogues 46 Deadlines HUMANITIES 3 4 MAY/JUNE 1993 BY LAURA RANDALL The R ia b o v Collection HEN GEORGE RIABOV WAS A BOY OF THIRTEEN LIVING IN A SMALL RUS­ SIAN EMIGRE COMMU­ NITY IN POLAND IN 1937, HE BOUGHT A POSTCARD OF A DRAWING BY RUS­ SIAN ARTIST IVAN BILIBIN FOR A FEW PENNIES. IT WAS THIS SMALL PUR­ CHASE THAT WOULD LAUNCH RIABOV'S LIFELONG DEDICATION TO SOVIET ARTW AND CULTURE AND ULTIMATELY LEAD TO ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE AND UNIQUE COLLECTIONS OF RUSSIAN ART OUTSIDE OF THE The Transfiguration, 17th century. SOVIET UNION. "BEFORE THAT, I HAD ONLY SEEN RUSSIAN ART IN BOOKS," RECALLS RIABOV, THE SON OF WHITE RUS­ SIAN PARENTS, WHO FLED RUSSIA AFTER THE REVOLUTION. RIABOV WAS BORN IN POLAND AND EMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1946. "IT WAS AT THAT TIME I DECIDED THE REST OF MY LIFE WOULD BE DEDICATED TO RUSSIAN CULTURE AND ART." IT WAS A LIFE THAT WOULD LEAD THE YOUNG ART COLLECTOR FROM CORUN, THE POLISH BIRTHPLACE HE SHARED WITH COPERNICUS, TO THE DISPLACED PERSONS' CAMPS WHERE MANY RUSSIAN EMIGRES WERE SENT FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II, AND FINALLY TO THE EMINENT ARTS COMMUNITY OF THE NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA. THROUGHOUT HIS TRAVELS AND HARDSHIPS, RIABOV NEVER CEASED Nick olas Roerich (1874-1947). HIS SEARCH FOR RUSSIAN ART. Costume design for the ha llet, L,e Sacre A FORMER CONSULTANT TO THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART AND du Printemps, by Stravinsky; 1Q13. PART-TIME RUSSIAN ART CONSULTANT TO CHRISTIE'S, RIABOV HAS ALLOWED HIS COLLECTION TO BECOME A PERMANENT PART OF THE JANE VOORHEES ZIMMERLI ART MUSEUM AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, HIS ALMA MATER. COMPRISED OF APPROXIMATELY 1,000 PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS, SCULPTURES, AND PRINTS, THE RIABOV COLLECTION OFFERS A BROAD SELECTION OF RUSSIAN ART—FROM A RARE FOUR­ TEENTH-CENTURY RUSSIAN ICON CARVED IN STONE TO MODERN HUMANITIES 5 6 MAY/JUNE 1993 custome and stage designs done in proper place for my collection is at an watercolor and gouache. An auxil­ educational institution/' explains iary library of 5,000 books, journals, Riabov, who received a B.A. and M.A. newspaper clippings, and slides in German from Rutgers. bears directly upon the documenta­ The Riabov collection demonstrates tion of the art objects. The museum how Russian art, paralleling other staff recently completed a computer­ European national cultures, covered a ized catalogue of the collection, with full range of historical styles, from the assistance of Riabov and funds neo-Classicism and Romanticism to provided by the National Endow­ Impressionism and Cubism. "We ment for the Humanities. wanted to show that the art of Russia The chance to provide a scholarly reveals international relationships enhancement of his art collection was and contexts like any other nation's a factor in Riabov's decision to donate art would do," says the Zimmerli's the entire 1,000-piece collection to Rut­ assistant director Jeffrey Wechsler. gers. "I believe in education along The manner in which Riabov Nicholas Roerich. The Sacre d Lake, 1917- with art. During the course of my col­ acquired his works of art is as diverse lecting, I was constantly studying, as the collection itself. His paintings doing research, and training my eye to and drawings by unofficial Russian see the historical context in the art. I artists can be attributed to the friend­ like to convey the importance of that ships he established as a young boy to others. That is why I believe the among the emigre community in extensive Russian art and history Poland. "Many of the artists made up development in American museums. the friends who supported me in my They may have some Russian paint­ early endeavor of collecting," he says. ings, but they don't broadly represent Some of the collection's rare icons the styles, movements, and back­ were obtained by Riabov when he was ground of the art." working as a translator in a displaced Now that the barriers of the past persons' camp in Germany after his have made way for an intense curi­ family fled Poland in the early 1940s.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Deception, Disinformation, and Strategic Communications: How One Interagency Group Made a Major Difference by Fletcher Schoen and Christopher J
    STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVES 11 Deception, Disinformation, and Strategic Communications: How One Interagency Group Made a Major Difference by Fletcher Schoen and Christopher J. Lamb Center for Strategic Research Institute for National Strategic Studies National Defense University Institute for National Strategic Studies National Defense University The Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) is National Defense University’s (NDU’s) dedicated research arm. INSS includes the Center for Strategic Research, Center for Complex Operations, Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs, Center for Technology and National Security Policy, Center for Transatlantic Security Studies, and Conflict Records Research Center. The military and civilian analysts and staff who comprise INSS and its subcomponents execute their mission by conducting research and analysis, publishing, and participating in conferences, policy support, and outreach. The mission of INSS is to conduct strategic studies for the Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Unified Combatant Commands in support of the academic programs at NDU and to perform outreach to other U.S. Government agencies and the broader national security community. Cover: Kathleen Bailey presents evidence of forgeries to the press corps. Credit: The Washington Times Deception, Disinformation, and Strategic Communications: How One Interagency Group Made a Major Difference Deception, Disinformation, and Strategic Communications: How One Interagency Group Made a Major Difference By Fletcher Schoen and Christopher J. Lamb Institute for National Strategic Studies Strategic Perspectives, No. 11 Series Editor: Nicholas Rostow National Defense University Press Washington, D.C. June 2012 Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Defense Department or any other agency of the Federal Government.
    [Show full text]
  • The Causes of Ukrainian-Polish Ethnic Cleansing 1943 Author(S): Timothy Snyder Source: Past & Present, No
    The Past and Present Society The Causes of Ukrainian-Polish Ethnic Cleansing 1943 Author(s): Timothy Snyder Source: Past & Present, No. 179 (May, 2003), pp. 197-234 Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of The Past and Present Society Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3600827 . Accessed: 05/01/2014 17:29 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Oxford University Press and The Past and Present Society are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Past &Present. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 137.110.33.183 on Sun, 5 Jan 2014 17:29:27 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE CAUSES OF UKRAINIAN-POLISH ETHNIC CLEANSING 1943* Ethniccleansing hides in the shadow of the Holocaust. Even as horrorof Hitler'sFinal Solution motivates the study of other massatrocities, the totality of its exterminatory intention limits thevalue of the comparisons it elicits.Other policies of mass nationalviolence - the Turkish'massacre' of Armenians beginningin 1915, the Greco-Turkish'exchanges' of 1923, Stalin'sdeportation of nine Soviet nations beginning in 1935, Hitler'sexpulsion of Poles and Jewsfrom his enlargedReich after1939, and the forcedflight of Germans fromeastern Europein 1945 - havebeen retrievedfrom the margins of mili- tary and diplomatichistory.
    [Show full text]
  • Book Review: the Harvest of Sorrow: Soviet Collectivization and the Terror-Famine Edward Cole Grand Valley State University
    Grand Valley Review Volume 2 | Issue 2 Article 19 1987 Book Review: The Harvest of Sorrow: Soviet Collectivization and the Terror-Famine Edward Cole Grand Valley State University Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvr Recommended Citation Cole, Edward (1987) "Book Review: The Harvest of Sorrow: Soviet Collectivization and the Terror-Famine," Grand Valley Review: Vol. 2: Iss. 2, Article 19. Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvr/vol2/iss2/19 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Grand Valley Review by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 77 EDWARD COLE Conquest, phi viable task of l The Harvest of Sorrow: Soviet Collectivization genocidal crim the Ukraine, ~ and the Terror.. Famine one vast Belser to Communis Robert Conquest, The Harvest of Sorrow: Soviet Collectivization Ukrainians an< and the Terror-Famine. Oxford: University Press, 1986. famine of 193: How this ca source docume The weather had been beautiful, and the regime's project of liquidating small-scale seems impossil peasant agriculture in favor of the more productive collective farm was complete. But to the efforts l something was terribly wrong in the Ukraine, the breadbasket of the Soviet Union. obvious obstac Ivan Stadnyuk described it in retrospect: are now in a p< The early autumn of of 1932 in Kokhanivka was not the same as other autumns. The father o There were no pumpkins hanging their weary heads down the wattle fences to victors. Yet it • the street.
    [Show full text]
  • Gareth Jones: Reviled and Forgotten
    Gareth Jones: Reviled and Forgotten How different interests shaped the perception of the Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933 in the West MA Thesis in History: Political Culture and National Identities Leiden University Rivka Otten S1921487 Supervisor: Dr. J.H.C. Kern 4-4-2019 Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 4 Historiography of the Holodomor .......................................................................................... 6 Methodology and Structure of Thesis .................................................................................. 10 Chapter 1: Famine Grips Russia ............................................................................................... 13 1.1 Gareth Jones – ―An Earnest and Meticulous Little Man‖ ............................................. 14 1.2 Holodomor – Hunger As a Weapon ............................................................................... 21 1.3 The Message – ―We Are Waiting For Death‖ ................................................................ 30 Chapter 2: Voices ..................................................................................................................... 35 2.1 The Moscow Press Corps – ―Working Under a Sword of Damocles‖ ........................... 36 2.2 Exposing The Truth – ―Our Children Were Eating Grass‖ ............................................ 41 2.3 Political Pilgrims – ―Growing Pains‖ ............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Non-Soviet Perspectives on the Great Famine: a Comparative Analysis of British, Italian, Polish, and German Sources
    Nationalities Papers (2020), 48: 3, 444–459 doi:10.1017/nps.2019.27 SPECIAL ISSUE ARTICLE Non-Soviet Perspectives on the Great Famine: A Comparative Analysis of British, Italian, Polish, and German Sources Paolo Fonzi* Institut für Geschichtswissenschaften, Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany *Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] Abstract The present contribution analyzes systematically diplomatic reports written by German, Italian, British, and Polish representatives in the Soviet Union at the time of the Great Famine. Based on both published documents and unpublished archival sources, the article examines comparatively the perception of the Great Famine in these four countries. After providing a short overview of the diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and the four countries at the time of the famine, this article examines how German, Italian, British, and Polish diplomats explained three key issues for understanding the Great Famine: (1) the role of the conflicts between state and peasantry in unleashing the famine; (2) the issue of whether the Soviet government intentionally caused the famine; and (3) the role of intentions in the development of the famine and the relationship between the nationalities policy of the Soviet government and the famine. Keywords: Soviet famines; foreign relations of the Soviet Union; image of the Soviet Union abroad; Soviet nationalities policy Non-Soviet documents have been used in many instances as a source to study the catastrophic famine that hit several areas of the USSR, especially in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and North Caucasus, in 1931–1933. These documents were particularly important in the 1990s before the partial opening of the Soviet archives.
    [Show full text]
  • Totalitarianism 1 Totalitarianism
    Totalitarianism 1 Totalitarianism Totalitarianism (or totalitarian rule) is a political system where the state holds total authority over the society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life wherever necessary.[1] The concept of totalitarianism was first developed in a positive sense in the 1920's by the Italian fascists. The concept became prominent in Western anti-communist political discourse during the Cold War era in order to highlight perceived similarities between Nazi Germany and other fascist regimes on the one hand, and Soviet communism on the other.[2][3][4][5][6] Aside from fascist and Stalinist movements, there have been other movements that are totalitarian. The leader of the historic Spanish reactionary conservative movement called the Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right declared his intention to "give Spain a true unity, a new spirit, a totalitarian polity..." and went on to say "Democracy is not an end but a means to the conquest of the new state. Moloch of Totalitarianism – memorial of victims of repressions exercised by totalitarian regimes, When the time comes, either parliament submits or we will eliminate at Levashovo, Saint Petersburg. it."[7] Etymology The notion of "totalitarianism" a "total" political power by state was formulated in 1923 by Giovanni Amendola who described Italian Fascism as a system fundamentally different from conventional dictatorships.[8] The term was later assigned a positive meaning in the writings of Giovanni Gentile, Italy’s most prominent philosopher and leading theorist of fascism. He used the term “totalitario” to refer to the structure and goals of the new state.
    [Show full text]
  • What Americans Thought of Joseph Stalin Before and After World War II
    A Thesis entitled “Uncle Joe”: What Americans Thought of Joseph Stalin Before and After World War II by Kimberly Hupp A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of The Masters of Liberal Studies ______________________________ Advisor: Dr. Michael Jakobson ______________________________ College of Graduate Studies University of Toledo May 2009 1 2 An Abstract of “Uncle Joe”: What Americans Thought of Joseph Stalin Before and After World War II by Kimberly Hupp A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of The Master of Liberal Studies University of Toledo May 2009 A thesis presented on the American public opinion of Josef Stalin before and after World War II beginning with how Russia and Stalin was portrayed in the media before the war began, covering how opinions shifted with major events such as the famine, collectivization, the Great Terror, wartime conferences, the Cold War and McCarthyism. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ................................................................................................................ii Table of Contents................................................................................................iii Acknowledgements .............................................................................................v List of Figures……………………………………………………………….vii List of Abbreviations……………………………………………………… .viii Introduction.........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Certainty, Probability, and Stalin's Great Party Purge
    McNair Scholars Journal Volume 8 | Issue 1 Article 3 2004 Certainty, Probability, and Stalin’s Great Party Purge Brett omkH es Grand Valley State University Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mcnair Recommended Citation Homkes, Brett (2004) C" ertainty, Probability, and Stalin’s Great Party Purge," McNair Scholars Journal: Vol. 8: Iss. 1, Article 3. Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mcnair/vol8/iss1/3 Copyright © 2004 by the authors. McNair Scholars Journal is reproduced electronically by ScholarWorks@GVSU. http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/ mcnair?utm_source=scholarworks.gvsu.edu%2Fmcnair%2Fvol8%2Fiss1%2F3&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages Certainty, Probability, and Stalin’s Great Party Purge ABSTRACT In 1936, Josef Stalin, General Secretary In 1935, Stalin decided to purge his own of the Communist Party of the Soviet party to consolidate power in the Soviet Union [CPSU], initiated a Party Purge, government. Since the inception of historical the extent of which, measured by the research about this event, a debate has numbers of deaths and arrests of Party developed regarding the number of arrests members and their affiliates, has proved and deaths of Soviets ordered by Stalin. This to be highly controversial. A long- study will examine the figures calculated simmering historical debate about this by Western historians to determine where issue surprisingly deepened after the fall correlation and discrepancy exist. The of the Soviet Union brought about the importance of this research is to assess partial opening of government archives the reasons why such dramatic statistical that many thought would answer all differences exist among various historians.
    [Show full text]
  • East European Studies, Neo-Totalitarianism and Social Science Theory
    A Service of Leibniz-Informationszentrum econstor Wirtschaft Leibniz Information Centre Make Your Publications Visible. zbw for Economics Mueller, Klaus Working Paper East European studies, neo-totalitarianism and social science theory WZB Discussion Paper, No. P 97-004 Provided in Cooperation with: WZB Berlin Social Science Center Suggested Citation: Mueller, Klaus (1997) : East European studies, neo-totalitarianism and social science theory, WZB Discussion Paper, No. P 97-004, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB), Berlin This Version is available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/50262 Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Documents in EconStor may be saved and copied for your Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. personal and scholarly purposes. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle You are not to copy documents for public or commercial Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich purposes, to exhibit the documents publicly, to make them machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. publicly available on the internet, or to distribute or otherwise use the documents in public. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, If the documents have been made available under an Open gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort Content Licence (especially Creative Commons Licences), you genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. may exercise further usage rights as specified in the indicated licence. www.econstor.eu P97 - 004 EAST EUROPEAN STUDIES, NEO-TOTALITARIANISM AND SOCIAL SCIENCE THEORY KLAUS MUELLER Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung gGmbH (WZB) Reichpietschufer 50, D-10785 Berlin Abstract The relevance of sociological theory for explaining the recent dramatic changes in Eastern Europe is at hand.
    [Show full text]
  • An Analysis of the Main Causes of the Holodomor Yiwei Cheng
    An Analysis of the Main Causes of the Holodomor Yiwei Cheng The 1932-33 Ukrainian Famine has always been a very controversial topic in Ukrainian history. Scholars generally blame Stalin and his rural collectivization policy. The lack of agricultural machinery, ineffective organization and the awkward relations between the village officials and local peasants all contributed to the famine. By using both Ukrainian and Western documents, this paper is devoted to the analyzing of the main causes of the famine. The Great Famine in Ukraine was an extremely tragic event in Ukrainian history. Although almost eighty years have passed, historians still have not reached a consensus of the major causes of the famine. Regardless of the unfavourable climatic condition, some scholars argue that the famine was a man-made genocide against the ethnic Ukrainians, while others insist on saying that the famine was not Stalin‟s original intention. This paper will examine the main causes of the famine with a focus on the collectivization policy in Ukraine. Before examining its causes, it is necessary to put the famine into historical context. The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was established in 1919, and included territories east to the Dnieper River. Soon after that, in order to consolidate the Soviet rule, War Communism prevailed in all regions of the USSR, including Ukraine. Ukrainian peasants were forced to supply the Red Army with grains and other agricultural products, in order to support the army against the Whites in the Civil War. All the so-called “capitalist elements” of the economy, such as the market, private enterprises and currency, were abolished.
    [Show full text]
  • The Great Terror: Violence, Ideology, and the Building of Stalin's Soviet Empire Michael David Polano Wayne State University
    Wayne State University Wayne State University Theses 1-1-2017 The Great Terror: Violence, Ideology, And The Building Of Stalin's Soviet Empire Michael David Polano Wayne State University, Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_theses Part of the Other History Commons Recommended Citation Polano, Michael David, "The Great Terror: Violence, Ideology, And The uiB lding Of Stalin's Soviet Empire" (2017). Wayne State University Theses. 583. http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_theses/583 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@WayneState. It has been accepted for inclusion in Wayne State University Theses by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@WayneState. THE GREAT TERROR: VIOLENCE, IDEOLOGY, AND THE BUILDING OF STALIN’S SOVIET EMPIRE by MICHAEL POLANO THESIS Submitted to the Graduate School of Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS 2017 MAJOR: HISTORY (Modern Europe) Approved by: ____________________________ Advisor Date DEDICATION TO MY MOTHER ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication____________________________________________________________________ii Chapter 1 “Introduction”_________________________________________________________1 Chapter 2 “Soviet Ideology and the Enemies of History”______________________________15 Chapter 3 “After the Flood: The Interwar Crisis and the Rise of Stalin”___________________44 Chapter 4 “The Great Terror”____________________________________________________68
    [Show full text]
  • Dodging Armageddon: the Third World War That Almost Was, 1950 (B) (3)-P.L
    eclassifi ed and Approved for Release by NSA on 11-04-201 O pursuant to E .0. 13526, FOIA Case# 1.1'--."'4/~c-~D: 3 9 67119 T0P sceRETNe0MIN'Ffi'X1 Cryptologic Quarterly (U) Dodging Armageddon: The Third World War That Almost Was, 1950 (b) (3)-P.L. 86-36 (U) With the comfort and hindsight of a half­ century, President Harry Truman's decision to Jo~eph V. St3l1n commit American power to save South Korea from Communist aggression in late June 1950 stands as perhaps America's finest moment of the Cold War. By making a difficult commitment, by sacrificing 50,000 American lives in the end, Truman upheld Western values and interests where they were directly threatened. It is easy to overlook the unpopularity and unpleasantness of a war which, though necessary, nevertheless remains unknown to most Americans today. Our sacrifices in Korea beginning in the disastrous summer of 1950 merit recognition and honor in their own right, yet they deserve our attention for another reason almost completely neglected in accounts of the period. By dispatching the 24th Infantry and 1st Cavalry Divisions from comfort­ able occupation duty in Japan to death and ratus opened the "Greek line," supplying destruction in Korea in mid-summer 1950, the Communist insurgents in neighboring Greece United States actually did nothing less than save v.r:ith weapons and supplies, an effort which the world from a global conflagration. quickly outpaced Soviet support to the guerrillas; 10,000 Yugoslav "volunteers" fought alongside (U) The issue was found not in Asia but on the their Greek allies too.
    [Show full text]