Revelations From The Russian Archives

A compendium of translations of representative documents from several once-closed Soviet/Russian archives. Sheds new light on the structure & workings of the world's longest-lived totalitarian state, the character & intentions of Vladimir Lenin, & the difficult history of U.S.-Soviet relations from the Revolution until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Based on the exhibition at the Library of Congress in June & July 1992, the book presents 343 documents on a broad range of subjects, with commentary to make their significance clear. Most of the documents have been translated in their entirety. List of abbreviations & terms.

To many people, Russia remains as enigmatic today as it was during the Iron Curtain era. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country had an opportunity to face its tortured past. Here, Brent asks - why didn't this happen? To answer such a question, he draws on 15 years of unprecedented access to high level Soviet archives. He shows readers a Russia where, in 1992, women sold used toothbrushes on the street to survive, yet now the shops are filled with luxury goods. Brent encounters Stalin's spectre through these changes and takes readers deep inside his archives.

Having gained exclusive access to the Russian State Film and Photo Archive, a Russian expert provides extraordinary revelations and never-before-seen images from deep within Russia's document vaults that shed light on unexplored Russian history. Based on a PBS documentary. Photos. Index.