EBOOK Russian History: A Very Short Introduction

Spanning the divide between Europe and Asia, Russia is a multi-ethnic empire with        a huge territory, strategically placed and abundantly provided with natural        resources. But Russia's territory has a harsh climate, is cut off from most maritime        contact with the outside world, and has open and vulnerable land frontiers. It has        therefore had to devote much of its wealth to the armed forces, and the sheer size        of the empire has made it difficult to mobilise resources and to governeffectively,        especially given the diversity of its people.In this Very Short Introduction,        Geoffrey Hosking discusses all aspects of Russian history, from the struggle by the        state to control society, the transformation of the empire into a multi-ethnic        empire, Russia's relationship with the West/Europe, the Soviet experience, and the        post-Soviet era.