Chechnya: tombstone of Russian Power

Lieven

Yale University Press, 1999 - History - 436 pages

The war between Russia and the Chechen separatist forces, from December 1994 to August 1996, was a key moment in Russian and even world history, shedding a stark light on the end of Russia as a great military and imperial power. Anatol Lieven, a distinguished writer and political commentator, was a correspondent for the London Times in the former Soviet Union from 1990 to 1996 and was commended for his coverage of the Chechen War by the British Press Association.

In this major new work of history and analysis, Lieven sets Russia's humiliation at the hands of a tiny group of badly organized guerrillas in a plausible framework for the first time. He offers both a riveting eyewitness account of the war itself and a sophisticated and multifaceted explanation for the Russian defeat. Highlighting the numerous ways in which Russian society and culture differ today from the simplistic stereotypes still current in much of Western analysis, he explores the reasons for the current weakness of Russian nationalism both within the country and among the Russian diaspora.

In the final part of the book Lieven examines the Chechen tradition, providing the first in-depth anthropological portrait in English of this extraordinary fighting people. In his representation of the character of the Chechen nation, Lieven contributes to the continuing debate between "constructivist" and "primordialist" theories of the origins of nationalism and examines the role of both historical experience and religion in the formation of national identity.

What people are saying

Review: Chechnya: Tombstone of Russian Power

User Review  - Brian - Goodreads

Professor Lieven does an interesting look at how Chechnya has impacted Russia in his look at the war of 1994-1996. It is very well done in detail and looks at the historical and practical reasons for ...

Review: Chechnya: Tombstone of Russian Power

User Review - Goodreads

I read this book a few years ago and I can say I'm still under impression. I do recommend it. the book helped me in understanding Russia - Chechnia conflict. there are some really important issues ...

Contents

• The War: 13
• The Origins of War: 56
• The Course of the Chechen War: 102
• The Russian Defeat: 147
• The Collapse of the Cossacks: 219
• The Weakness of: 243
• Military Roots of: 269
• The Chechen Victory: 301
• Social and Cultural: 324
• Conclusion: 369
• Notes: 385
• Index: 427

About the author

Anatol Lieven is an expert on post-Soviet affairs at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, London.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Chechnya: tombstone of Russian Power
• Author: Lieven
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Yale University Press, 1999
• ISBN: 0300078811, 9780300078817
• Length: 436 pages
• Subjects: History / Europe / Former Soviet Republics; History / Europe / Russia & the Former Soviet Union; History / Military / General; Political Science / General