A History of the Baltic States (Palgrave Essential Histories series)

Estonia, Latvia And Lithuania Experienced A Sequence Of Foreign Regimes, Including Nazism And Communism, Before Recovering Their Independence And Joining The European Union. Clearly And Accessibly Written, This Book Is One Of The First To Provide A General Overview Of Their Histories From The Stone Age To The Present Using A Comparative Approach-- Machine Generated Contents Note: List Of Maps_ * Chronology_ * Introduction_ * Europe's Last Pagans_ * Lithuania's Expansion And Medieval Livonia (1290-1560)_ * The Polish-lithuanian Commonwealth And The Rise Of Sweden And Russia (1560-1795)_ * The Long Nineteenth Century Tsarist Rule (1795-1917)_ * The Short Independence (1917-1939)_ * Between Anvil And Hammer (1939-1953)_ * Soviet Rule (1953-1991)_ * Return To The West (1991-2008)__* Guide To Further Reading_ * Index . Andres Kasekamp. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Europe's last pagans. Early inhabitants -- Prehistoric societies -- The northern crusades -- Lithuania's expansion and Medieval Livonia (1290-1560). Lithuania ascending -- Jogaila and Vytautas -- The Jagiellonians -- Feudal Livonia -- Towns, trade and the peasantry -- The Reformation and the disintegration of Livonia -- The Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth and the rise of Sweden and Russia (1561-1795). The Polish-Lithuanian union and the struggle for hegemony in Livonia -- Swedish dominance and the Great Northern War -- Russia's window to the West -- The decline and partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth -- The Long Nineteenth Century under tsarist rule (1795-1917). Agrarian reforms in the Baltic provinces -- Lithuania within the Russian Empire -- National awakenings -- Russification and modernization -- The Revolution of 1905 and World War I -- The short era of independence (1917-1939). The Russian Revolution and German occupation -- The wars of independence -- From democracy to authoritarianism -- Economic, social and cultural progress -- In search of security -- Between anvil and hammer (1939-1953). Soviet annexation -- Nazi Ostland -- Fighting in foreign uniform -- Resistance, repression and collectivization -- Soviet rule (1953-1991). Thaw -- Stagnation -- The Singing Revolution -- Towards independence -- Return to the West (1991-2009). Building democracy -- Politics in the twenty-first Century -- Economic reforms -- Societal transition -- Return to Europe -- Relations with Russia -- Notes -- Chronology -- Place names. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been the battleground for neighbouring powers and the site of intense rivalry, but also interaction, between East and West. A History of the Baltic States masterfully traces the development of these three Baltic countries, from the northern crusades against Europe's last pagans, and Lithuania's rise to become one of medieval Europe's largeststates, to their incorporation into the Russian Empire and the creation of their modern national identities. Drawing upon the most recent scholarship, Andres Kasekamp pays particular attention to the tumultuous twentieth century, during which the Baltic States achieved independence, but also endured occupation by both the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. Finally, he explores how the Baltic States recovered their statehood and transformed themselves into members of the European Union. Clearly and accessibly written, this is one of the first English-language books to provide a comparative survey of Baltic history. "Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania experienced a sequence of foreign regimes, including Nazism and communism, before recovering their independence and joining the European Union. Clearly and accessibly written, this book is one of the first to provide a general overview of their histories from the stone age to the present using a comparative approach"-- Provided by publisher "Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania experienced a sequence of foreign regimes, including Nazism and communism, before recovering their independence and joining the European Union. Clearly and accessibly written, this book is one of the first to provide a general overview of their histories from the stone age to the present using a comparative approach"-- Résumé de l'éditeur A concise, lively history of Korea, which explores the richness of Korean civilization from the ancient era through to the jarring transformation that resulted in two distinctive trajectories through the modern world. This new edition of a successful text brings it up-to-date with the latest scholarship and developments in Korea's history.