Product Description

This extensively revised paperback edition explores at first-hand the extraordinary defeat of the Russian army in Chechnya and provides essential reading for all those concerned with current developments in the Caucasus. It puts one of the most savage wars of recent years into the context of the predominantly Moslem North Caucasus region. Fierce resistance meant that Russia took almost three centuries to conquer this mountainous area. And it remains the most turbulent and strategic part of the Russian Federation - an ethnic and geopolitical tinderbox criss-crossed by billion-dollar oil pipelines serving the vast new riches of the Caspian Sea. Using exclusive eyewitness material from his frontline reporting, Smith shows how the Kremlin (which had hoped for a quick, sharp offensive against rebel leader Dzhokhar Dudayev) blundered into a war and then lost against the Chechen guerilla army, despite brutal levels of bombing. Moving beyond Chechnya, Smith examines the rest of the North Caucasus, where around 40 other tiny ethnic groups struggle to preserve their identities. Over the last ten years, minorities such as the Dagestanis, Adygei and Balkars have rebuilt their national cultures, languages and Moslem religion, which both the tsars and the Soviets tried so hard to wipe out. There has been genuine cultural revival, but also violent nationalism, a danger stoked by the rebirth of the Russian Cossack communities and their dreams of empire. Chechnya's conflict may prove only the tip of an iceberg. The stakes in this long-running struggle are high for the north Caucasians, ethnic pride and even survival as distinct peoples; for the Russians, influence over the huge oil resources of the Caspian Sea and territorial integrity of the state. Ultimately, Russia's entire fragile democratic experiment could hang in the balance.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1327932 in Books
• Published on: 2001-01-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Review
The Times: "covers, in unflinching detail, the conflict from the defeat of the Russian Army by Chechen rebels between 1994 and 1996 through to the continuing efforts to quell sedition in a place of huge strategic importance for the flow of oil."

Customer Reviews

An outstanding insight into the war-torn Caucasus region
This book provides an extensive and detailed set of information on not only the Chechen war but also the people, politics, conflicts and society of the rest of the Caucasus. Sebastian Smith has obviously researched the material to a high standard and i recommend it above any other Chechnya or Caucasus titles i've read so far.

outstanding
phenomenal experience, heartfelt unbiase yet honest viewpoint of the plight of the chechens, covering the first chechen war 1994-1996. unfortunately history shows greater abuses were to come. sebastian smith documents the history behind the animosity of the russians to the chechens (300 plus years worth)in great detail and then documents his own experiences within the furnace of war and the political machinations behind the ongoing conflict. outstanding book, well written and highly recommended.

BRILLIANT
Anyone wanting to know about this region should not look further than this book; simply put, it is an excellent introduction to understanding this region and its people.

And once again, it shows that numerical strength does not naturally equate to success as now the Russians have been dealt two very harsh blows by the Afghans and now the Chechnyans.

The first half of the book is quite a slow read as the author paints a picture of what is a patchwork of cultures packed into a very small area. However, half through the book and onwards, he start to describe the actual war there and the book becomes more easy to read.

My only criticism is the title of the book; it is too sensational implying a "crusade" type war...and this is very much incorrect!

I highly recommend this book!