A History of Postwar Russia

First Published in 1966, A History of Postwar Russia covers sixteen years of Soviet history, from the closing stages of the Second World War (1945) until the Twenty-second Soviet Party Congress (1961), dealing with both domestic and foreign policy and their influence on each other. It aims at giving the overall shape of Soviet history in these years. The author argues that in Soviet society each sector of activity must be viewed in relation to the whole, so that the monolithic pattern of totalitarian politics can be appreciated. More than any other major power, the Soviet Union did not submit easily to compartmentalized study, since every branch of Soviet life was carefully trimmed to grow towards the Communist aim. This book is an essential read for scholars and researchers of Soviet history, Soviet politics, European history, Russian history, and comparative politics.

R.W. Pethybridge