A History of Soviet Russia"A foremost historian brings vividly to life the men and events of Russia's postrevolutionary era. Though the years of war communism, NEP, and collectivization, Professor Ulam traces the transformation of the Bolsheviks' early sense of mission and advancement of world revolution into the quest for power for its own sake. He skillfully describes the interaction of internal dilemmas with international pressures, the maturing of Soviet political and social systems under communism, and the mixture of nationalistic and ideological motives that colored the behavior of Russia's leaders and shaped its development."Keywords: SOVIET UNION HISTORY 1917 1991

Perestroika and glasnost have unleashed unprecedented criticism of Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union, and the terrible legacy of his regime has been acknowledged by Mikhail Gorbachev.

In a book of keen perception and vast sweep, a foremost scholar examines one hundred years of Russian revolutionary thought and the men who shaped and were caught up in it. Adam Ulam displays an unusual ability to penetrate the core of the Soviet mind as it evolved and was encapsulated in history. Why did the Russians sign a treaty with Hitler? Why did they build a Berlin Wall, rattle missiles, and then sign a nuclear-test-ban treaty with President Kennedy? Why do they fear Titoism? Why was detente fostered when Nixon was president? By reflecting on the psychology, ideology, and frenetic activity of revolutionary Russians, Ulam leads us to answers. Ulam's ability to explain events by tracing the continuities in the Russian mentality makes this work a special achievement in Soviet studies and intellectual history.