Outstanding writing, a tiny jewel box of phrases. The plot—yes, there is one—barely matters. Each scene is plump with descriptions of joy and pain. I’Outstanding writing, a tiny jewel box of phrases. The plot—yes, there is one—barely matters. Each scene is plump with descriptions of joy and pain. I’ve made my highlights visible.
This is no ”short” novel, but I never thought it dragged....more
Unsurprising: Ronald Reagan's huge role in ending the Cold War (and, after he left office, the Soviet Union itself). Reagan charmed the birds out of tUnsurprising: Ronald Reagan's huge role in ending the Cold War (and, after he left office, the Soviet Union itself). Reagan charmed the birds out of the trees at every summit meeting, much to the shock of the Russians who had expected an anti-communist war-monger. Instead, Reagan pressed for a total nuclear disarmament that horrified most of his aides--but that would occur only after deployment of the SDI missile defense system. And either Secretary of State George Schultz, or someone close to him, spent a lot of time with the author, Robert Service--Schultz comes off well (although I happen to think correctly so).
Surprising: Margret Thatcher was off-stage and often wrong-footed. In addition to her well known aversion to a united Germany, she became distrustful of Gorby once she became Prime Minister, though (oddly) she liked him when they first met before that. Thatcher, in this accounting, was a bit Churchillian in trying to insist on a greater role for Britain than history or economics justified.
Interesting: Gorby was winging it the whole way. He knew reform was needed; he could see the Soviets could save billions via cutting their defense budgets--and if they could force America to reciprocate, so much the better. But, beyond that, he had no grasp of economics and little idea of foreign policy. He never could figure out whether SDI ("Star Wars") was a serious notion -- it was for Reagan -- or just a gambit to force the Soviets into bankruptcy, possibly to be traded for some major politico-military concession. (Answer: it worked, didn't it?) Foreign Minister Shevardnadze, or someone close to him, talked to the author--Shevardnadze comes off well (the power behind the foreign policy throne), but I have no idea whether that's real or bias.
Added 1/11/16
Startling: The Soviets had no idea how how to read Western societies--when all they had to do was buy a copy of the New York, or London, Times. The CIA was slightly better, predicting (by the middle of Reagan's term) that the USSR was going bankrupt -- so time was on the West's side. And indeed, by the late 1980s, Gorby was pleading with every Western leader for loans or credits that would forestall a Soviet revolt from below. Except for grain sales, Reagan and George H.W. Bush consistently refused, further wreaking Gorby's bargaining position.
Who Started It: The Soviet military caused the collapse by installing intermediate nuclear missiles in Eastern Europe. Western Europe suddenly could be radioactive craters in 15 minutes--turning Western European leaders into the biggest fans of planting U.S. Pershing missiles on their own territory (fearing the U.S. might be unwilling to launch its own weapons merely to defend London, Berlin, etc.). This was a serious strategic and public relations error--the Soviets upped their own defense budget, and were seen as the aggressors.
Cloud-Cuckoo Land: After German Unification, Gorby was under the delusion that he remained under control of the rest of the Warsaw Pact, and the Soviet Socialist Republics that constituted the USSR. Then the Warsaw Pact swiftly was dissolved. And after a massacre to attempt to retain the Baltic Republics -- over which Georgian-born Shevardnadze resigned -- plebiscites began springing up across the land. Following an abortive coup against Gorby, Ukraine voted overwhelmingly to leave the Union. That's when Yeltsin made his move--as President of the Russian SSR (by far the largest) he simply recognized all the independence votes. Meaning there was no USSR, and Gorby suddenly had no job; he (ironically) resigned from the atheist, Communist state on Christmas Day 1991.
The October Revolution lasted less than 75 years. This book addresses only arms reduction and the break-up of the Soviet Union. The lessons for Putin briefly are mentioned in the afterword....more
I remember vividly using this book -- or was it the first edition? -- to refute my friends who refused to believe that evil lurked East of the BrandenI remember vividly using this book -- or was it the first edition? -- to refute my friends who refused to believe that evil lurked East of the Brandenburg gate and, especially, in Moscow ...more
Massie is massive, a mediocre writer, and padded. In some ways, I got a better sense of Charles XII of Sweden -- Peter's two-decade adversary -- than Massie is massive, a mediocre writer, and padded. In some ways, I got a better sense of Charles XII of Sweden -- Peter's two-decade adversary -- than Peter himself. And it was criminal to omit maps of the progress of building St. Petersburg, his greatest achievement.
Still, much to like, including a reasonably straight-forward chronology of his Peter's life and effect on the Russian nation. Written before the fall of the USSR, it's a bit out of date, and so I wonder how much more information might be available. But, because this book is unburdened by footnotes, there's no way to cross-check....more
The amazing thing about this book -- the teachable moment -- is that the narrator, Rubashov, goes to his unjust death in the maw of Soviet show trialsThe amazing thing about this book -- the teachable moment -- is that the narrator, Rubashov, goes to his unjust death in the maw of Soviet show trials still convinced of the virtues of true Communism....more
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