The history of USSR has been divided into phases in this paper. The first half will cover from the Revolution to World War II (1917-1945). Meanwhile, the second half describes ‘The Soviet Experience’ (1945-1991). 

In the first part, we will begin from the Russian Revolution of February and October 1917 and then overview the consolidation of Bolshevik power and the economic policies and debate in the 1920s. Further, we will look into the collectivisation and industrialisation, followed by an analysis of the party and the state during 1917-45 on the grounds of ideology, purges and propaganda. We shall also read about the Soviet policies during the same timeline, underlining the areas of question of nationalities, gender, literature and art forms. Lastly, we would dwell into the foreign policies concerning the Comintern, Internationalism and Nazi- Soviet Pact and the World War II. 

In the second part, we will study World War II and the Cold War, covering its origins, major developments and Khrushchev’s foreign policy. Furthermore, we will elaborate on the Khrushchev Era, underling De-Stalinisation and Khrushchev’s industrial and agricultural reforms. We would also see how conservatism and reforms panned out in the Soviet political system, during the periods of Brezhnev to Gorbachev, along with reassertion of party dominance to perestroika and glasnost and the whole impact on literature and culture. Moreover, we shall explore the economics and politics of Cold War with its economic and social consequences on the Soviet system and on Eastern Europe. Finally, we will delve into the disintegration of the Soviet system (1991) and the consequent problems of transition in the post-soviet era, that includes Eastern Europe and confederation of independent states.

However, it is important to highlight here that even though an attempt has been made to provide topic specific articles but there are articles that are relevant for more than one topic. It is advisable therefore to go through as many readings as possible; rest is reader’s discretion.

Part 1: History of the USSR: From Revolution to World War II (1917 -1945) 

I. The Russian Revolutions of February and October 1917

REFERENCES:

1. Ronald Kowalski_The February Revolution and the Origins of Dual Power_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921

2. Ronald Kowalski_The Kornilov Affair_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921

3. Ronald Kowalski_The October Revolution_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921 

4. Ronald Kowalski_Politics and Crises (March–July)_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921 

5. Ronald Kowalski_The Mensheviks and the Social Revolutionaries_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921

6. Steve A. Smith_Petrograd In 1917: The View from Below_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia: New Approaches 

7. Rex A. Wade_“All Power to the Soviets”: The Bolsheviks Take Power_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia: New Approaches 

8. James D. White_ Lenin, Trotskii and the Arts of Insurrection: The Congress of Soviets of the Northern Region, 11–13 October 1917_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia: New Approaches 

9. Michael C. Hickey_The Rise and Fall of Smolensk's Moderate Socialists: The Politics of Class and the Rhetoric of Crisis in 1917_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia: New Approaches Diane P. Koenker and William G. Rosenberg_Strikes And Revolution in Russia, 1917_in_Rex A.Wade_Revolutionary Russia : New Approaches 

10. Rex A. Wade_Introduction_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia : New Approaches 

II. Consolidation of Bolshevik Power and Economic Policies and Debate in the 1920s: an overview

REFERENCES:

1. Ronald Kowalski_The War and the Army_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921 

2. Ronald Kowalski_The Communist Autocracy Challenged (The crisis of 1921)_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921

3. Ronald Kowalski_The Roots of the Communist Autocracy_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921 

4. Ronald Kowalski_The Origins of the Bolshevik Dictatorship_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921 

5. Ronald Kowalski_The Civil War_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921 

6. Ronald Kowalski_Industry and the Workers_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921

7. Ronald Kowalski_Agriculture and the Peasants_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921 

8. Ronald Kowalski_The Mensheviks and the Social Revolutionaries_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921

9. Lev Grigor′evich Protasov_The All-Russian Constituent Assembly and the Democratic Alternative: Two Views of the Problem_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia: New Approaches 

10. Rex A. Wade_“All Power to the Soviets”: The Bolsheviks Take Power_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia: New Approaches 

11. James D. White_ Lenin, Trotskii and the Arts of Insurrection: The Congress of Soviets of the Northern Region, 11–13 October 1917_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia: New Approaches 

12. Steve A. Smith_Petrograd In 1917: The View from Below_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia: New Approaches 

III. Collectivisation and industrialisation

REFERENCES:

1. Ronald Kowalski_Industry and the Workers_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921 

2. Ronald Kowalski_Communist Oppositions_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921 

3. Ronald Kowalski_Agriculture and the Peasants_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921

4. Diane P. Koenker and William G. Rosenberg_Strikes And Revolution in Russia, 1917_in_Rex A.Wade_Revolutionary Russia : New Approaches 

IV. Party and state 1917-1945: ideology, purges and propaganda

REFERENCES:

1. Ronald Kowalski_The National Minorities_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921 

2. Ronald Kowalski_The Civil War_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921

3. Ronald Kowalski_Communist Oppositions_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921 

4. Tsuyoshi Hasegawa_Crime, Police, and Mob Justice in Petrograd During the Russian Revolutions of 1917_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia: New Approaches 

5. Lev Grigor′evich Protasov_The All-Russian Constituent Assembly and the Democratic Alternative: Two Views of the Problem_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia: New Approaches

6. Rex A. Wade_“All Power to the Soviets”: The Bolsheviks Take Power_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia: New Approaches 

7. Michael S. Melancon_From Rhapsody to Threnody : Russia’s Provisional Government in Socialist-Revolutionary Eyes, February–July 1917_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia : New Approaches 

8. Orlando Figes_The Russian Revolution Of 1917 and its Language in the Village_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia : New Approaches 

V. Soviet policies:1917-1945

[a] The Nationalities question 

REFERENCES:

1. Ronald Kowalski_The Civil War_The Russian Revolution 1917–1921

2. Ronald Grigor Suny_National Revolutions and Civil War In Russia_in_Rex A. Wade_Revolutionary Russia : New Approaches  

[b] Gender 

[c] Literature and art forms

VI. Foreign policy issues: Comintern,Internationalism and the Nazi- Soviet Pact;World War II.

REFERENCES:

1.  

2.  

3. Ruth Henig_ Map of the Italian Invasion of Abyssinia, 1935_ The Origins of Second World War 1933-1941 

4. Ruth Henig_ The Historical Debate_ The Origins of Second World War 1933-1941 

5. Ruth Henig_ The Years 1933-41 Nazi Ideology_ The Origins of Second World War 1933-1941 

6. Ruth Henig_ Map of Central and Western Pacific, 1921_ The Origins of Second World War 1933-1941 

7. Ruth Henig_ Long- Term causes_ The Origins of Second World War 1933-1941 

8. Ruth Henig_ Map of the execution of Hitler's plans: Germany in Europe, 1942_ The Origins of Second World War 1933-1941 

9. Ruth Henig_ Map of Hitler's Foreign Policy_ The Origins of Second World War 1933-1941 

Part 2: History of the USSR: The Soviet Experience (1945-1991) 

I. World War II and the Cold War: Origins, major developments and Khrushchev’s foreign policy

REFERENCES:

1.Hunt, L., T. R Martin, B. H Rosenwein and B.G Smith_The Cold War and the Remaking  of Europe, 1940-1960s_The Making of the West Peoples and Cultures: A Concise History, Volume II

II. The Khrushchev Era: De-Stalinisation and Khrushchev’s industrial and agricultural reforms

III. Problems of growth and reform of the Soviet economic system (1964-1991) 

REFERENCES:

1.Hunt, L., T. R Martin, B. H Rosenwein and B.G Smith_Postindustrial Society and the End of the Cold War Order, 1965-1989_The Making of the West Peoples and Cultures: A Concise History, Volume II 

IV. Conservatism and reform in the Soviet political system: from Brezhnev to Gorbachev;from reassertion of party dominance to perestroika and glasnost; impact on literature and culture

V. The economics and politics of the Cold War (1964-1991): economic and social consequences for the Soviet system and Eastern Europe

VI. Disintegration of the Soviet system (1991) and problems of transition in the post-Soviet Era: Eastern Europe and the confederation of independent states