This is the first general work to place the soviet army into its true social, political and international contexts. It focuses on the aim to create a new type of army that both protected the people and propogated Marxist ideas worldwide.

This study of Soviet military strategy is based upon the relationship between the army and politicians as well as Soviet writings on the subject of military strategy. Thanks to the policy of glasnost, it incorporates Soviet materials hitherto unavailable in the West. It should not be considered simply as a retrospective account of what was; it forms at least part of the context for what will be in the future.

Written in 1985, this book cuts through the Cold War stereotypes of the Soviet Union to arrive at fresh interpretations of that country's traumatic history and later political realities. The author probes Soviet history, society, and politics to explain how the U.S.S.R. remained stable from revolution through the mid-1980s.

The Military History of the Soviet Union and The Military History of Tsarist Russia treat Russian military history from the rise of the Muscovite state to the present, even peeking briefly into the future. The two volumes will cover Russia's land forces extensively, but will also cover the development of the Russian Navy, and the creation and development of the Russian Air Force, parts of the Russian military machine which are frequently neglected in general writings. The historical analysis will address the development and function of the Russian military whether in peace or in war, as well as the impact of war and changes in the military upon Russian society and politics.

Given unprecedented access by the Soviet top brass to military facilities and personnel, the author spent two years traveling from Leningrad in the west to Vladivostok in the east, from the Arctic Circle in the far north to the deserts of Central Asia in the south. This book is an exercise in glasnost and a "landmark in East-West relations." All aspects of military life are covered, from the organ. of the forces to the morale of the officer corps, from the daily life of the ordinary conscript to the special operations of the elite paratroopers and Spetsnaz. Looks at issues of conscription, training, career progression, and the legacy of Afghanistan. 250 full-color photos.