Russia: The Roots of Confrontation

Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1985. First Edition. First Printing. very good, good. 411, illus., maps, suggested readings, index. Part of the American Foreign Policy Library series edited by Edwin O. Reischauer. Foreword by Edwin O. Reischauer. This compact yet comprehensive history examines the historical contrasts between East and West and elucidates the Russian enigma. The book springs from the thesis that Russia's national character and its international relations can be understood only in light of the traumas and triumphs. The author argues that Soviet actions were not so much caused by Marxist views but were the result of a number of influences including Russian history, culture andnational personality. He writes that the character of the Soviet system as it evolved after the Revolution was a synthesis of revolutionary rhetoric, dictatorial pragmatism, and traditional Russian experience.