Russia Revolution and Civil War, 1917-1921

In 1917, the Romanov Dynasty was on the ropes in Russia. Tsar Nicholas II faced discord at home and abroad as the financial and human costs of World War I continued to rise. The repression of serfs and mistreatment of the working class further enflamed the tensions. The rise of the Socialist movement, led by charismatic leaders such as Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and Josef Stalin, posed a grave threat to the stability of Tsar Nicholas II. In March 1917, Nicholas abdicated from the throne. A provisional government led by Alexander Kerensky took the reigns, however, the winds of change refused to die down. As the various factions jockeyed for control of the country, the country threatened to tear apart at the seams.

Russia: Revolution and Civil War 1917-1921 is an exhaustive timeline of a transformative period in Russia. Author Antony Beevor spotlights the various colossal figures that played a role in the destruction of a dynasty in order to create an empire. Beevor (Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges, 1944) fires on all cylinders in this fantastically readable history book.