Changing Interpretations of Soviet Russia: The Redeemer Cometh
John Claydon analyses the increasingly rich profusion of writings on the nature of the Bolshevik Revolution and of subsequent Soviet rule.
The last ten years has been a dramatic time for anyone interested in gaining a balanced understanding of the history of Soviet Russia. Alongside the exhilaration felt by opponents of communism across the world, and by most Russians, at the collapse of Communist rule in Russia in1991, historians had good reason to be excited too. From the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 until the beginning of the period of glasnost, or greater openness, under Gorbachev from 1985, Russia had largely been a closed society, and although outside observers found the politics and history of Soviet Russia fascinating, they had little access to tangible evidence. The only significant exception to this came as a direct result of Russia's invasion by Germany in the Second World War when a huge collection of government and Communist Party records was left behind by the retreating Russians in the important city of Smolensk. The Germans captured Smolensk in 1941 and took the records back to Germany where they were seized by the Americans in 1945.
To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5.
Start my trial subscription now
If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in.
Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.
