- Summary
- "Through a series of essays on key events in recent years in Russia, the western ex-republics of the USSR and the countries of the one-time Warsaw Pact, John Besemeres seeks to illuminate the domestic politics of the most important states, as well as Moscow's relations with all of them. At the outset, he takes some backward glances at the violent suppression of national life in the 'bloodlands' of Europe during World War II by the Stalinist and Nazi regimes, which helps to explain much about the region's dynamics since. His concern throughout is that a large area of Europe with a combined population well in excess of Russia's could again be consigned by the West to Moscow's care, not this time by more and less malign forms of collusion, but by distracted negligence or incomprehension. 'This is a wonderful collection of essays from a leading Eastern Europe specialist. John Besemeres brings a lifetime of experience, profound insights, and an incisive style to subjects ranging from wartime and post-war Poland through contemporary Ukraine to Putin's Russia. At a time when doublespeak has become the new normal, his refreshing honesty has never been in greater need.' -- Bobo Lo."
- Uniform Title
- Essays. Selections
- Format
- Online resource
- Author/Creator
- Besemeres, John, author.
- Published
- Acton, ACT, Australia : Australia National University Press (ANU Press), [2016]
©2016
- Locale
- Russia
Europe, Eastern
Eastern Europe
Russia (Federation)
- Contents
-
Part 1. Twentieth-century Poland : war and Cold War
Seven days that shook the world
A difficult neighbourhood
Jan Karski's valiant failures
The worst of both worlds : Captain Witold Pilecki between Hitler and Stalin
Speaking truth to power and prejudice
Part 2. Poland and Russia since the fall of communism: drawing apart
Poland/Russia : peace or ceasefire?
Heading west, heading east : impressions from Warsaw and Moscow
Poland at the polls : a win for pragmatism
Poland's EU presidency : drawing the short straw.
Part 3. Turning points in Ukraine and Belarus
Ukraine: a sharp turn eastwards?
In Belarus, the leopard flaunts his spots
Part 4. Russia and the former Soviet republics : Putinisation at home and abroad
Russia and its western neighbours : a watershed moment
Russia's elections: leaving little to chance
Putin's Ceauşescu moment
Setbacks at home, successes abroad : the mixed fortunes of Vladimir Putin
Putin's phoney war
Re-enter Putin, weakened and resentful
The real Mr Putin stands up
Towards a greater Putistan? Part 1
Towards a greater Putistan? Part 2; Will Putin survive until 2018?
Putin's re-Sovietisation project and the Ukrainian jewel
Vladimir Putin : geopolitical wrecking ball
Putin's annus mirabilis.
Part 5. Putin reverts to cold war : changing the shape of Eurasia
Putin's last territorial demand
Ukraine : time to cut a deal?
Russian disinformation and Western misconceptions
Putin's parallel universe
Putin's Westpolitik : back to the USSR
Peace in our time
Ukraine conflict exposes Western weakness on Russia
Bling and propaganda in an ethics-free zone
Making nice and making enemies
Ukraine, out of sight.
Map 1: Russia and its western neighbours
Map 2: Ethno-linguistic map of Ukraine.
Map 3: The South Caucasian states: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
- Notes
-
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Part 1. Twentieth-century Poland : war and Cold War -- Seven days that shook the world -- A difficult neighbourhood -- Jan Karski's valiant failures -- The worst of both worlds : Captain Witold Pilecki between Hitler and Stalin -- Speaking truth to power and prejudice -- Part 2. Poland and Russia since the fall of communism: drawing apart -- Poland/Russia : peace or ceasefire? -- Heading west, heading east : impressions from Warsaw and Moscow -- Poland at the polls : a win for pragmatism -- Poland's EU presidency : drawing the short straw.
Part 3. Turning points in Ukraine and Belarus -- Ukraine: a sharp turn eastwards? -- In Belarus, the leopard flaunts his spots -- Part 4. Russia and the former Soviet republics : Putinisation at home and abroad -- Russia and its western neighbours : a watershed moment -- Russia's elections: leaving little to chance -- Putin's Ceauşescu moment -- Setbacks at home, successes abroad : the mixed fortunes of Vladimir Putin -- Putin's phoney war -- Re-enter Putin, weakened and resentful -- The real Mr Putin stands up -- Towards a greater Putistan? Part 1 -- Towards a greater Putistan? Part 2; Will Putin survive until 2018? -- Putin's re-Sovietisation project and the Ukrainian jewel -- Vladimir Putin : geopolitical wrecking ball -- Putin's annus mirabilis.
Part 5. Putin reverts to cold war : changing the shape of Eurasia -- Putin's last territorial demand -- Ukraine : time to cut a deal? -- Russian disinformation and Western misconceptions -- Putin's parallel universe -- Putin's Westpolitik : back to the USSR -- Peace in our time -- Ukraine conflict exposes Western weakness on Russia -- Bling and propaganda in an ethics-free zone -- Making nice and making enemies -- Ukraine, out of sight.
Map 1: Russia and its western neighbours -- Map 2: Ethno-linguistic map of Ukraine. -- Map 3: The South Caucasian states: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
