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This book examines the rise and the fall of the Russian Empire through the lens of its military history. While much of the literature on this history tends to focus on epochs, The Russian Military and the Creation of Empire uses a variety of archival sources to capture this aspect of modern Russia from Peter the Great right up to the present day. John W. Steinberg analyzes the social dynamic between Russian society and its military over time. Through a focus on civil-military relations, he demonstrates that both the Tsarist and Soviet regimes were built on, and ultimately dependent upon, the support of the military. Case studies of significant battles are also used throughout the volume to reveal insights into the roles, missions, and capabilities of the Russian military since 1689. The Russian Military and the Creation of Empire is a vital study for all students of modern Russia and the history of modern warfare.
List of contents
List of Maps
Introduction
1. Russia's Emergence in World Affairs (1689-1725)
2. Romanovs, Aristocrats, and the Creation of the Russian Empire (1725-1796)
3. The Defeat of Napoleon and the Apex of Empire (1796-1853)
4. From Defeat to Defeat; From Reform to Reform (1853-1918)
5. Russian Power Restored (1918-1953)
6. Soviet Imperium (1953-1991)
Epilogue: Russian Power since 1991 and Future Considerations
Bibliography
Index
About the author
John W. Steinberg is Professor of History Austin Peay State University, USA. He is the author of
All the Tsar's Men: Russia's General Staff and the Fate of the Empire, 1898-1914 (2010) and the co-editor, along with Rex A. Wade, of
The Making of Russian History: Society, Culture, and the Politics of Modern Russia (2009). He is also co-series editor, with Tony Heywood and David M. McDonlad, of the international research project 'Russia's Great War & Revolution'.
