The Secret History of Soviet Russia's Police State: Cruelty, Co-operation and Compromise, 1917-91

Description

'[R]eadable and thoughtful . . . does an excellent job of exploring how the murderous political police in all its incarnations defined the Soviet Union, and left a poisonous legacy still with us today' Professor Mark Galeotti, author of The Vory and A Short History of Russia Repression, control, manipulation and elimination of enemies assisted in the establishment of the Soviet state, and helped maintain it in power, but could not, in the end, prevent its collapse. Citizens of the West have, for the most part, been told a very simplified story of the repressive 'totalitarian' state that was the USSR. In fact, it was sustained by more than just policing and force. No amount of revisionist history can erase the reality of millions controlled, imprisoned and killed, but there was much more to the USSR's one-party state than this. Whittock tells a more complex story of the combination of cruelty, co-operation and compromise required to build and run a one-party state. Much of this is the story of the role played by the secret police in creating and sustaining such a form of government, but it is much more than simply a 'history of the secret police'. This is because the 'police state' which emerged (in which dissent, both real and imaginary, was undoubtedly policed, threatened and ruthlessly eliminated) was more than just the product of the arrests, interrogations, executions and imprisonments carried out by the secret police. The USSR was also made possible by a battle for hearts and minds which led millions of people to feel that they really had benefited from the system and had a stake in the new society.

Martyn Whittock graduated in Politics from Bristol University in 1980, where his degree special study was in the Development of the Soviet State. He taught history at secondary level for thirty-five years, teaching Soviet History at A-Level and writing an A-Level text book entitled Stalin's Russia and a GCSE textbook on Russia and the Soviet Union 1917-1941. He has acted as an historical consultant to the National Trust, the BBC and English Heritage and is the author or co-author of forty-eight books, including A Brief History of Life in the Middle Ages, A Brief History of the Third Reich and Norse Myths and Legends.

Praise for Norse Myths & Legends (with Hannah Whittock): A terrific, detailed introduction of these wonderful stories and the pantheon of characters in them . . . their writing is vivid and lively . . . a great addition to any library. - San Francisco Book Review Praise for Norse Myths & Legends (with Hannah Whittock): With recent volumes, such as Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology and J. R. R. Tolkien's posthumously published The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrun, appealing more to readers strictly interested in creative takes on classic Norse tales, this title attracts new readers by offering solid retellings and contextual information that serve as a valuable introduction to this rich tradition. - Library Journal On Norse Myths & Legends (written with Hannah Whittock) A terrific, detailed introduction of these wonderful stories and the pantheon of characters in them . . . their writing is vivid and lively . . . a great addition to any library. - San Francisco Book Review On Christ: The First 2000 Years (written with Esther Whittock) Intelligently written . . . informative and insightful; an excellent summary. On Mayflower Lives: Whittock displays a fine eye for detail. - Wall Street Journal On Mayflower Lives: Whittock [is] an engaging writer. - Kirkus Reviews On Trump and the Puritans (written with James Roberts): Insightful, well-written . . . Recommended reading before a dinner party. - Catholic Herald On Trump and the Puritans: An essential and riveting read. - Julie Etchingham, journalist and broadcaster