Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict [Paperback]

John B. Dunlop (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521636191 | ISBN-13: 978-0521636193 | Publication Date: September 28, 1998

This book provides the background necessary to understand the reasons for the Russian military invasion of Chechnya in December 1994. The history of the Chechens is traced carefully, and their sufferings under the tsars and communists are documented. The role of the Chechen leader, Dudaev, and the breakdown in negotiations in 1994 are examined closely, as the author asks whether this bitter conflict could feasibly have been avoided.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Mr. Dunlop...shows how the various elements in the Chechen identity--linguistic, religious, social, political--evolved and combined to create the sense of national solidarity essential for semipermanent warfare....Mr. Dunlop's more detached views enable him to discern perhaps more clearly than those closer to the action the logic of the increasingly entangled political events in the Russian camp." Robert Cottrell, New York Review of Books

"The Dunlop book is a clearly written and balanced account of the origins of the conflict." Choice

"The book belongs in the library of every specialist on Russia. It will also interest members of the media and diplomatic and military personnel." Dale R. Herspring, Perspectives on Political Science

"...this excellent book provides valuable background to the ongoing tragedy in the Russian North Caucasus." Matthew Evangelista, Slavic Review

"...a complete understanding of this war, crucial for the insight it provides into both the failure of Russia's political culture to evolve as well as for the dynamics of the Caucasus, cannot be had without this well-written and insightful book." Canadian Journal of Political Science

"All of these books are helpful in understanding the ongoing conflict in Chechnya, and they complement each other in this regard...I recommend thse works to anyone who wants to understand the ongoing conflict in Chechnya." Slavic and East European Journal

Book Description

This book provides the background necessary to understand the reasons for the Russian military invasion of Chechnya in December 1994. The history of the Chechens is traced carefully, and their sufferings under the tsars and communists are documented. The role of the Chechen leader Dudaev, and the breakdown in negotiation in 1994 are examined closely, as the author asks whether this bitter conflict could feasibly have been avoided.

Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (September 28, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521636191
• ISBN-13: 978-0521636193
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,165,968 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gives a good feel for the stage . . ., November 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict (Paperback)

This book goes into details about the Chechen-Russian conflict beginning with the original Russian expansion into the region. It talks about the religious, social, and economic factors involved in the Chechen conflict, as well as details on the traumatic depopulation of Chechnya in 1944 and the appropriation of the lands for other, more "loyal" peoples. A little repetitious at times and NOT for someone doing some light reading, but definitely a good book on the subject.

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent overview and good starting point for further study, January 14, 2010

By 

K Scheffler (Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict (Paperback)

This book is a relatively compact and concise overview of the historic relationship between the Russians and Chechens and the events leading up to and causing the the first war in Chechnya. It should be noted that Dunlop relies on a somewhat limited number of sources, and that at times a single or just two or three source(s) is used to cover a fair bit of ground (especially the pre-Soviet era). There is also a bit of an issue perhaps with the reliability of some of the Russian- and Chechen-language sources; one of which has been translated and which I was reading simultaneously contained what I felt are spurious "facts," and in one significant case Dunlop incorporates one of these into his work although the source appears to be the only one in which it is reported.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Informative and (somewhat?) impartial, January 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict (Paperback)

I knew relatively little about the Chechnya conflict prior to reading this book, and I found it to be a good introduction to the background and history of the Chechens and their relationship to greater Russia. I am an absolute amateur, and I didn't find the book to be ponderous or academic; at times it was actually quite thrilling. Dunlop seems to be sympathetic to the cause of the Chechen people, yet I found him to be pretty balanced in his analysis. Only problem I had was keeping straight all of the long Russian names, especially not knowing how to pronounce them...