The Civil War in the History of Russia: Historiography, Modern Approaches, Conception, New Edition

Abstract

The paper analyzes the main landmarks in the historiography of Russia’s Civil War, both Russian and foreign, those most important and prominent projects and editions as an experience and foundation for a new and fundamental collective research of this subject. The author characterizes modern theoretical and methodological approaches for a proper understanding of the Russian Civil War as a unique, complex, and contradictory phenomenon. The article discovers the modern conceptions of the Civil War, its contents and understanding as a multidimensional and many-sided military, political, social, and cultural phenomenon, and as a series and complex of overlapping wars and confrontations with different participants. The main wars, military and other counteractions in the Russian Civil War are enumerated. The author underlines the global and total character of this war. Accumulated historiographical experience, modern conceptions, theoretical and methodological approaches serve as a base for the writing of the 12th volume Civil War in Russia. 1917–1920 in the 20-volume series History of Russia. The Civil War is viewed in this publication not only as a unique phenomenon of Russian history, but also as a worldwide phenomenon, the outcome of which in many respects predetermined the development of not only Russia, but also of international relations and humanity in the 20th century. The author characterizes this project as a whole and especially the structure and contents of the main chapters of the volume devoted to the Civil War in Russia.