Forgetting the russian revolution as an inconvenient past is an. Some observations about the russian revolution, and about sean. The russian origins of the first world war on jstor. Between 1900 and 1920, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation. There were two revolutions in 1917, and mcmeekin believes that the first one was largely an accident.
Jul 10, 2017 the article is based on mcmeekins recently published book, the russian revolution. The facts are well known, but history is about making connections between these facts, and there could be and there are many histories of the russian revolution. Jun 02, 2017 the russian revolution by sean mcmeekin out of the blue. Full text of the russian revolution 1917 eyewitness account volume see other formats. Luckily, in the midst of all this, i assigned myself the utterly light reading of sean mcmeekin s blockbuster revisionist history, the russian revolution. The russian revolution was a series of revolutions in the russian empire during 1917. Between 1917 and 1922, russia underwent a complete and irreversible. Professor sean mcmeekin and the construction of a historical. Russian revolution, sean mcmeekins new revisionist history. Russian revolution simple english wikipedia, the free. Top 10 books about the russian revolution books the. Commercial and financial chronicle, may 3, 1951, vol.
Wilhelm was born on 27 january 1859 in berlin, the eldest child of crown prince frederick of prussia and victoria, daughter of queen victoria of the united kingdom. The russian revolution was a period of political and social revolution across the territory of the russian empire, commencing with the abolition of the monarchy in 1917, and concluding in 1923 after the bolshevik establishment of the soviet union, along with five other soviet republics, ukraine, belarus, armenia, azerbaijan and georgia, resulting in the end of the civil war. No work takes a more ideological and manufactured quality than histories of the russian revolution. I would, in addition, recommend simon sebag montefiores the romanovs. A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian revolution.
Lenins attack on legitimacy was so extreme that in april 1917 even his. The book makes the even more astonishing claim that at the beginning of 1917 the. The last of the tsars and a new history robert service dearly wants to indict lenin for the murder of the tsar but has to admit there is no direct evidence, while. Mcmeekin is a reliable guide to a complex story and the book moves. The russian revolution audiobook, written by sean mcmeekin.
Mcmeekin represents the same bewildered view that many russian aristocrats had toward the revolution in 1917. I really liked this account of the russian revolution. Nevertheless, there are plenty of texts on the subject. Now in a new edition, this provocative, highly readable work presents a fascinating look at events that culminated in the russian revolution. Russian revolution, sean mcmeekins new revisionist. Author of the only fulllength eyewitness account of the 1917 revolution, sukhanov was a key figure in the first revolutionary government. It is reactionary because it goes so far as to deny cause within russian society for either the revolution that overthrew the tsar or the later soviet revolution. Although the russian army had great numbers, the soldiers were not equipped or trained to fight. Wade clears away many of the myths and misconceptions that have clouded studies of the period. Top 10 books about the russian revolution books the guardian. The first major new history of the russian revolution in a decade combines cuttingedge scholarship and a fastpaced narrative to shed new light on a great turning point of the twentieth century. Taking advantage of the collapse of the tsarist regime in the middle of world war i, the bolsheviks staged a hostile takeover of the. Jun 01, 2017 the russian revolution is a superb account of this seminal event bard college professor sean mcmeekin is a reliable guide to a complex story and his book moves seamlessly and clearly across a.
Mcmeekin is no ranke his book bears very unteutonic marks of haste. His sevenvolume book, first published in 1922, was suppressed under stalin. The russian revolution was the most successful criminal conspiracy in history. What happened during the russian revolution of 1917. Jun 06, 2017 the russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin basic books.
Sean mcmeekins new history traces the story of russias 1917. On the afternoon of july 4, 1917, thousands of soldiers, sailors and workers converged on a former. Fortunately for historians of the revolution, he writes, the years since 1991 have seen an explosion of research into russias military performance in world war i from 1914 to 1917. Jan 29, 2020 the russian revolution s of 1917 may be the most important and worldaltering event of the twentieth century, but restrictions on documents and official communist histories have often affected the efforts of historians. Apr 12, 2017 top 10 books about the russian revolution. The russian revolution is a superb account of this seminal. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of russian and german history, mcmeekin provides perhaps the clearest explanation yet of how and why the october revolution of 1917 was the realisation of an outofcontrol german plan to destabilise russia and knock her out of the first world war. May 30, 2017 the russian revolution is a carefully researched, wellwritten assessment of the complex and confusing events that did so much to shape the last century. In the spring of 1917, the german spy service sensed a surefire means of persuading russia to make a separate.
Thus one could say the book is reactionary because it goes so far as to deny cause itswithin russian society for either the revolution that overthrew the tsar or the later soviet revolution. Nov 24, 2017 sean mcmeekin, professor of history at bard college, argues that the russian revolutions of 1917 are misunderstood in the west because we have been influenced by the many accounts such as ten days that shook the world by john reed that examine the upheaval using the concepts and the vocabulary of marxist sociology and economics. A huge russian army was formed by forcing working class and peasant men to join. This book is a richly detailed account of the russian revolution from the fall of the tsar in march 1917 to the introduction of the new economic policy in march 1921. Between 1917 and 1922, russia underwent a complete and. Lenin by victor sebestyen the russian revolution by sean mcmeekin 1917 by. Jun 30, 2017 the article is based on mcmeekins recently published book, the russian revolution. The author draws on interviews and on other kinds of now unavailable documents to produce a work that remains a unique view of early soviet russia. Even public officials are shy of commemorating that part of the. Of course, lenin springs to mind as the great leader of the revolution, but when he finally appeared, he had been out of the country for years. The book makes the even more astonishing claim that at the beginning of 1917 the war was going well for russia and that, without a combination of circumstances. Before 1767, there were no definite badges for field marshals and general officers. The russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin.
The russian revolution by sean mcmeekin out of the blue. Sean mcmeekin, professor of history at bard college, argues that the russian revolutions of 1917 are misunderstood in the west because we have been influenced by the many accounts such as ten days that shook the world by john reed that examine the upheaval using the concepts. Professor sean mcmeekin revives discredited antilenin. I have previously read more than the average non russian person about russian history, but i am in no way an expert on the subject. Oct 22, 2008 russian revolution 1917 further reading guide libcoms guide to further reading around the subject of the russian revolution and counterrevolution of 1917 to 1921. Full text of the russian revolution 1917 eyewitness account. Between 1917 and 1922, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation. In his avowed postrevisionist history of the russian revolution of 1917, sean mcmeekin thwarts many of.
For the first month after its inaugural postrevolutionary issue on march 12, 1917. A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian. Russian revolution 19171921, 19171991 soviet union. In a major reinterpretation, sean mcmeekin rejects the standard notion of the wars beginning as either a germanoaustrian preemptive strike or a miscalculation. In the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events that ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world between 1917 and 1922, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation. Many of them were sent into battle without shoes, food, and even weapons. The russian origins of the first world war book description. Sean mcmeekin provides a timely reminder of communisms historic evils in his book the russian revolution. His main theme in the current book is russias fatal course of action in the first world war. Taking advantage of the collapse of the tsarist regime in the middle of.
This new history of the russian revolution was one of many books published to mark the 100th anniversary of the bolshevik revolution. The events destroyed the tsarist autocracy, and helped create the soviet union. This book was necessary reading for all early historians of the revolution. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the russian revolution. In this brisk history, mcmeekin ottoman endgame, professor of history at bard college, reevaluates the 1917 russian revolution on its centennial.
The first revolution was on 8 march 1917, but in russia it was recorded as 28 february 1917. In the russian revolution, historian sean mcmeekin traces the origins and events of the russian revolution, which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and changed the course of world history. The viewpoint in the present book is mostly that of the ultrareactionary. This book by sean mcmeekin is the first one on the topic of the russian revolution which i have read. List of books and articles about russian revolution online. In 1767, the british army issued an order to distinguish field marshals once the rank was established in 18 and different graded general officers by the combination of chevronshaped ess pattern laces on the sleeve. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the. Mcmeekins book, however, does more to locate lenins success as due. Stories and poems from the russian revolution edited by boris dralyuk, published by pushkin press.
Petersburg and moscow were striking and rioting for higher food rations. Mcmeekin represents the same bewildered view that many russian aristocrats had toward the revolution in 191its a view from the top and a view in isolation. Top ten books about the russian revolution historia magazine. The takeover of an entire nation by a shameless huckster supported by a hostile foreign power. It can best be described as the type of book spains franco, chiles pinochet or america. The russian revolution and civil war, 191721 warning.
Apr 21, 2005 within an overall narrative that provides a clear description of the 1917 revolution, he introduces several new approaches on its political history and the complexity of the october revolution. World war i in 1914, world war i began and russia was at war with germany. Mcmeekin is a reliable guide to a complex story and the book moves seamlessly and clearly across a vast landscape of people and events. The definitive, singlevolume history of the russian revolution, from an awardwinning scholar in the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world. The russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin basic books.
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