SOCIAL SCIENCES

The End of Tsarist Russia: The March to World War I and Revolution

by Dominic Lieven
Viking. Aug. 2015. 448p. photos. notes. index. ISBN 9780670025589. $35; ebk. ISBN 9780698195561. HIST
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"As much as anything, World War I turned on the fate of Ukraine." With this audacious statement, Lieven (history, Trinity Univ., Russia Against Napoleon; Towards the Flame) begins an intriguing and well-written history of World War I and the Russian Revolution of 1917. Based predominately on materials from seven Russian archives, Lieven's key premise is that the Great War was "the source and origin of most of the catastrophes that subsequently afflicted twentieth century Russia." He succeeds in supporting this statement and also reinforces other premises, such as the theory that World Wars I and II were both, essentially, eastern European wars. This results in a fascinating reappraisal of the place of Russia and the former Soviet Union in both conflicts.
VERDICT Lieven's writing is clear and concise without being overly pedantic, which results in an engrossing read for anyone, academic or layman, with an interest in World War I, Russian history, eastern Europe, or the Russian Revolution. [See Prepub Alert, 2/23/15.]
Reviewed by John Sandstrom, New Mexico State Univ. Lib., Las Cruces , Jul 01, 2015
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