Lenin what is to be done and the state and the revolution. Communetype that dissolves the old state apparatus and merges it with the. Volkogonov, a career military officer, adviser to boris yeltsin. Volkogonov, who was a leading member of the russian team that assembled. In 1937 when dmitri was eight, his father was arrested and shot during stalins purges for being found in possession of a pamphlet by bukharin. In 1917, the nation of russia erupted in a fervor of revolution. When volkogonov was nine, his father was whisked away by stalinist agents and executed, for reasons not explained to the family.
According to the translator and editor, harold shukman, the. Jul 10, 2011 throughout the book, volkogonov seems to imply that had stalin not usurped the reins of power and lenins course had been followed, soviet communism in the ussr as traced by lenin and theoretically enforced after his death by a collective leadership might have ended in a more democratic socialism, a true russian, socialistic utopia. It was lenin s sister, anna, who, in 1897, while on a trip to switzerland, discovered that blank was a jewish name. Although not remotely as informative as deutscher about trotskys thinking, volkogonov contributes many. Lenin, vladimir ilich, 18701924 publisher new york, e.
Though his has been an unusual career, the life story of dmitri volkogonov epitomizes and explains much that has happened to the soviet union and communism. Mar 18, 2020 dmitry antonovich volkogonov, russian colonel general and soviet military historian who gained access to archival material and published scathing exposes on v. Lenin graduates from gymnasium high school 1887 may. Although volkogonov approached lenin in the stalin biography in a rather conventional way. Lenin born vladimir illich ulyanov is born in 1870 in the town of simbirsk on the volga river 1887 june. In autopsy of an empire, a historian with unprecedented access to soviet archives presents insightful profiles of the seven leaders who helped shape the history of their nation and the world for most of the 20th century. Throughout the book, volkogonov seems to imply that had stalin not usurped the reins of power and lenins course had been followed, soviet communism in the ussr as. Dmitry volkogonov was born march 22, 1928 in chita, eastern siberia. The russian ruling class was overthrown and replaced with a communist state led by revolutionary vladimir lenin. Pdf editors introductionbuilding hegemony in the 1930sinventing. Appendix 1 chronology of major events and lenins principal. Save money dmitri volkogonov wikipedia, the free early life. Leon trotsky books and biography free pdf books from bookyards, one of the worlds first online libraries to offer ebooks to be downloaded for free. Volkogonov cogently argues for a seamless connection between lenin s absolutism and stalins merciless dictatorship.
This was not the first revolution it had seen in the 20th. He has woven this mountain of information into a compelling story of the soviet founding father and the system he created. Volkogonov, a career military officer, adviser to boris yeltsin, and biographer of stalin, has reread the man whom his generation revered beyond mortality, tracked him through the archives, and viewed him through the eyes of defeated or disgraced contemporaries. The manuscript was believed to be lost beyond recall. The papers of dmitrii antonovich volkogonov, military historian, member of the russian parliament, and advisor to the president of the russian federation, were given to the library of congress by the volkogonov family in 1996. This was not the first revolution it had seen in the 20th century, nor would it be the last, but it certainly proved to be the most transforming. Lenin book by dmitri volkogonov official publisher page simon. A bold new accounting of the great social and political upheavals that enveloped europe between 1914 and 1945from the russian revolution through the second world war. At times, his bias compromises his work, and he tries to blame lenin for all of the ussrs problems, including. Sscb doneminde ozbek halk kosiklarinda lenin ve komunizmin methedilmesi glorifying of lenin and communism in uzbek folk songs during the ussr period article pdf available january.
At times, his bias compromises his work, and he tries to blame lenin for all of the ussrs problems, including collectivization and many items usually associated with stalin. For years, westerners have wondered what secrets were preserved not only in t. Volkogonov offers a radical departure from the traditional. Volkogonov seems bent on radically changing the historical view of lenin. The first massive indictment in russia of the dictators entire record. Volkogonov, who died in 1995, warned that the perversion of morality that lenin and leninism brought to russia did immense damage to the country and its people and this will make the. Dmitri volkogonov was born march 22, biography of lenin. Triumph and tragedy by dmitri antonovich volkogonov. For those wondering what a serious russian historian would say about lenin when given a chance to write freely, here is the answer.
References to texts are to lenins collected works, the english translation of the fourth. In a notably revelatory biography, volkogonov presents the most compelling evidence to date that lenin, not stalin, was the true father of soviet totalitarianism. The special assistant to boris yeltsin radically alters the traditional image of lenin with a biography based on secret soviet archives, revealing the founding. The eternal revolutionary by volkogonov, dmitri and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Volkogonov deserves a place of honor in the ranks of russian historians. Additional material was given by olga dmitrievna volkogonova via mark kramer in 1998. Lenin, on his part, admired the intelligence of jewish people, but had no cultural jewish inheritance from his grandfather blank. Political leaders from lenin to gorbachev by volkogonov, dmitri isbn. Lenin and the bolsheviks policy towards the jews was a radical departure from the previous history of russia and the whole subject has a bearing on lenin s harsh attitude towards the church mentioned elsewhere in the article. In this unrelenting biography, former soviet colonel general volkogonov mines archives still closed to historians, interviews eyewitnessesand presents perhaps the most intimate look to. What remains a mystery, however, is not the financial details of his everyday life, but how he, like his comrades trotsky and stalinnone of them ever having worked for a living, and none of them having anything in common with the working classcould think they had the right to determine the fate of a great nation, and to carry out their bloody, monstrous experiment.
Identification of item, dmitrii antonovich volkogonov papers, box number, hoover institution archives. Together with lenin, trotsky was the most charismatic and dominating figure of the russian revolution. Triumph and tragedy by dmitri volkogonov, paperback. Dmitri volkogonov was born march 22, 1928 in chita, eastern siberia. In the intervening july he was drawing up his many lists of intellectuals for arrest and deportation or internal exile.
Lenin saw the orthodox church as the prime mover behind the black hundreds who initiated pogroms against the jews. Dmitry antonovich volkogonov 22 march 1928 6 december 1995 was a sovietrussian. Volkogonov began writing the book in 1978 and completed much of it by 1985, polishing it over the next four years before its soviet publication in 1989. Although not remotely as informative as deutscher about trotskys thinking, volkogonov contributes many fresh details concerning his career during the civil war and the struggle with stalin for the supreme leadership after lenin s death. The special assistant to boris yeltsin radically alters the traditional image of lenin with a biography based on secret. For ten years volkogonov studied military records, party archives, trial documents, and other longsuppressed evidence from the era of the purges. Traces the life of the soviet leader, uses the secret soviet archives to reveal new information, and argues that lenin set in motion many of the worst excesses of the state later expanded by stalin. Volkogonov, who died in 1995, warned that the perversion of morality that lenin and leninism brought to russia did immense damage to the country and its people and this.
The guillotine at work documents dozens of other instances in which the bolsheviks imprisoned and executed authentic revolutionaries who, they feared, might threaten their exclusive control. The manuscript was believed to be lost beyond recall and was discovered only in 1937, when it was published for the first time. Stalin, whose father was a manual laborer, counted. Our political tasks august 1904 is especially favoured by volkogonov for its prophetic warning that lenins organisational tactics would lead to a oneman dictatorship. After october 1917, however, trotsky threw off his democratic pretensions to participate in realising the essence of bolshevism, that is the building of a totalitarian state. Together with lenin, trotsky was the most charismatic and dominating figure of the. Volkogonov has drawn on the harvard papers as well as the new soviet archives. Overview of the dmitrii antonovich volkogonov papers 2001c105 2 overview of the dmitrii antonovich volkogonov papers hoover institution archives stanford university stanford, california processed by. Joseph stalin plunged russia into a barbarous nightmare the likes of which the world has never seen, leaving behind a ravaged nation and a legacy of grief, but no answers. Of the seven soviet rulers profiled, gorbachev gets the highest marks for initiating epochal reforms, though the author stresses that gorbachev could have accomplished much more had he relinquished his faith in the communist system. He scoured stalins personal records and interviewed members of stalins kremlin staff as well as highranking party officials, top army brass, and others who knew the ruthless leader. Dmitri was the son of a collective farm manager and a schoolteacher.
Mike kubic is a former correspondent of newsweek magazine. The exbeliever dmitri volkogonov comments in his lenin. Lenin and the bolsheviks policy towards the jews was a radical departure from the previous history of russia and the whole subject has a bearing on lenins harsh attitude towards the. Dmitry was the son of a collective farm manager and a schoolteacher. Of the seven soviet rulers profiled, gorbachev gets the highest marks for initiating epochal reforms, though the author stresses that gorbachev could have accomplished much more had. Lenin lecture notes lenin lenins bio o 18701924 o russian lawyerr activist tried to participate in revolutionary circles in russia o older brother. Acquisition information acquired by the hoover institution archives in 2001.
Oct 12, 20 volkogonov, who died in 1995, warned that the perversion of morality that lenin and leninism brought to russia did immense damage to the country and its people and this will make the rooting of truly democratic institutions in that country very difficult, in spite of the collapse of the leninism system. Trotsky, the eternal revolutionary by dmitri volkogonov, 9781416576648, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Read trotsky eternal revolutionary by dmitri volkogonov available from rakuten kobo. Volkogonov, who died in 1995, warned that the perversion of morality that lenin and leninism brought to russia did immense damage to the country and its people and this will make the rooting of truly democratic institutions in that country very difficult, in spite of the collapse of the leninism system. Our political tasks august 1904 is especially favoured by volkogonov for its prophetic warning that lenin s organisational tactics would lead to a oneman dictatorship. The agrarian question and the critics of marx expounds and develops the. In his quest to revolutionize history, the author dismisses many previous arguments. Dmitri volkogonov the special assistant to boris yeltsin radically alters the traditional image of lenin with a biography based on secret soviet archives, revealing the founding father as a cruel, totalitarian leader who was responsible for the worst excesses of the soviet state. He served as head of government of soviet russia from 1917 to 1924 and of the soviet union from 1922 to 1924. Get a free ebook by joining our mailing list today. Three hours later he solved the problem by addition. Machinereadable finding aid derived from marc record by david sun. Volkogonov, as a first hand participant and observer, is able to talk bout how the seeds for the great terrors and purges were dictated by the ideologies of lenin.
Gracas as suas impecaveis credenciais comunistas, volkogonov consegui o acesso aos arquivos sovieticos mais secretos. Vladimir ilyich ulyanov 22 april 1870 21 january 1924, better known by his alias lenin, was a russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. Krupskaya is referred to as lenins wife, and indeed occasionally her name is not mentioned, only this position. Volkogonov offers a radical departure from the traditional interpretation of lenin as an idealist. The author of this survey, already well known for his biographies. The polishing did not remove all hagiolatry of lenin and party, but no matter. Dmitry antonovich volkogonov russian historian britannica. Stalins vilified victim times higher education the. A month earlier lenins doctors had asked him to multiply 12 by 7. Lenin, joseph stalin, leon trotsky, and other formerly sacrosanct soviet leaders b. The special assistant to boris yeltsin radically alters the traditional image of lenin with a biography based on secret soviet archives, revealing the founding father as a cruel, totalitarian leader who was responsible for the worst excesses of the soviet state. He gained a commission and studied extensively at soviet military academies, eventually obtaining a doctorate. According to the translator and editor, harold shukman, the first researcher to gain access to the secret archives of the soviet state was dmitri volkogonov, who, as the director of the institute of military history and a serving colonel general, had for years. Volkogonov, whose father was murdered in a purge that placed the family under a political cloud, nonetheless rose through army ranks to become.
1317 1090 1286 214 506 362 635 1441 788 231 829 529 321 1242 335 10 452 547 294 1297 1222 535 1524 456 62 998 1343 302 818 43 1199 840 559 729 616 855