Hello Mr. History. I was wondering if you knew of any good books that discuss the Slavs’ search for identity after the fall of the USSR bloc? I’m going to write a thesis paper on them and it’s hard for me to find any books on the subject.
Thanks,
Nate
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Dear Nate,
The breakup of the Soviet Union revived pan-Slavic movements that had lain dormant there, but which had persisted throughout Eastern Europe (most tragically in the Balkans, where only Marshal Tito’s right mixture of charisma and ruthlessness held all the ethnic groups together). Recently the late Air Marshal Ivan N. Kozhedub, the Allied ace of aces who regarded himself as a Soviet serviceman throughout his lifetime (he died in 1989, just before it ended) has been recognized, complete with statue, as a Ukrainian hero in his now independent ethnic homeland.
I’d recommend a survey of post-2000 books on pan-Slavism to start researching these more recent developments, with a reasonable degree of hindsight. Look for books that include religious influences, such as the Russian Orthodox Church and Islam in various regions.
Sincerely,
Jon Guttman
Research Director
World History Group
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