Handbook

The course aims to introduce students to Russian military history and provide them with a solid starting point, as well as the necessary skills, to research and critically consider this field of study. There is no assumed subject knowledge in the topic itself or the Russian language, but as a postgraduate course students will be expected to have competent academic research and writing skills.

The main aim of the course is to gain an appreciation of the complex and reciprocal relationship between war, the military and Russian society throughout the early modern and modern periods. There will be scope for discussion of individual campaigns and battles, but these must be seen against tends in both the Russian and global context of warfare. The early modern 'Military Revolution', the industrialization of warfare and concept of 'Total War' would all be potential examples of locating and exploring the Russian military experience in a wider context. The aim is to introduce students to a wide body of literature without the focus on Russia becoming a vacuum.