“General de Gaulle: His Life and Work” by Nikolai Molchanov is one of the BEST biographies I have ever read. Molchanov, a Soviet scholar, offers a Marxist-Leninist analysis of one of France’s most important leaders, General Charles de Gaulle, the leader of the Free France forces against Vichy France and Nazi Germany in WWII, ChairmanContinueContinue reading ““General De Gaulle: His Life and Work” – Nikolai Molchanov”
Tag Archives: Imperialism
Review: “The Lama Question: Violence, Sovereignty, and Exception in Early Socialist Mongolia” – Christopher Kaplonski
Christopher Kaplonski’s “The Lama Question: Violence, Sovereignty, and Exception in Early Socialist Mongolia” is the third book I have read about socialist Mongolia. The book is not a comprehensive historical analysis of the struggle between Mongolian socialists and the feudal Buddhist establishment like its name might suggest. Rather, Kaplonski’s interest is in elaborating on anthropologicalContinueContinue reading “Review: “The Lama Question: Violence, Sovereignty, and Exception in Early Socialist Mongolia” – Christopher Kaplonski”
Review: “The United Nations and the Indonesian Takeover of West Papua, 1962-1969: The Anatomy of Betrayal” – John Saltford
John Saltford’s “The United Nations and the Indonesian Takeover of West Papua, 1962-1969: The Anatomy of Betrayal” provides an outstanding analysis of the failure of the United Nations to implement the 1962 New York Agreement. Moreover, although the main interest of the Saltford is not the right of peoples to self-determination under international law, itContinueContinue reading “Review: “The United Nations and the Indonesian Takeover of West Papua, 1962-1969: The Anatomy of Betrayal” – John Saltford”
Review: “Leninism and the National Question” – P. N. Fedosyev, et. al.
“Leninism and the National Question” is undoubtedly the most challenging book I have read in 2021. At 540 pages long, it is also one of the largest Soviet Progress Publisher books I own, and it is definitely not a light, after work read. It took all my mental faculties to finish this book. TheContinueContinue reading “Review: “Leninism and the National Question” – P. N. Fedosyev, et. al.”
Random Interesting Book from My Library: “The Geography of Hunger” – Josue de Castro
I discovered both “The Geography of Hunger” and its later revised edition “The Geopolitics of Hunger” at my favourite used bookstore in Manitoba, A La Page in Winnipeg’s St. Boniface. At first I was very skeptical about this book; the title of the book and the subject struck me as very bourgeois and neo-Malthusian. True,ContinueContinue reading “Random Interesting Book from My Library: “The Geography of Hunger” – Josue de Castro”
Review: “Winston Churchill” – V. G. Trukhanovsky
V. G. Trukhanovsky’s biographical book “Winston Churchill” is an outstanding scholarly work. Trukhanovsky, a Soviet scholar, provides a Marxist-Leninist analysis of Churchill’s life and the historical context in which he lived. In a way, Trukhanovsky’s book is both a biography, or semi-biography, of Churchill as well as a history of the 19th and 20th centuries.ContinueContinue reading “Review: “Winston Churchill” – V. G. Trukhanovsky”
Review: “Soviet Nationalities Policy and Bourgeois Historians: The Formation of the Soviet Multinational State (1917-1922) in Contemporary American Historiography” – L. Zenushkina
When I first started reading L. Zenushkina’s “Soviet Nationalities Policy and Bourgeois Historians: The Formation of the Soviet Multinational State (1917-1922) in Contemporary American Historiography,” I must admit I didn’t have very high expectations. True, Soviet nationalities policy is an area I specialize in, but since I have already read multiple books published in theContinueContinue reading “Review: “Soviet Nationalities Policy and Bourgeois Historians: The Formation of the Soviet Multinational State (1917-1922) in Contemporary American Historiography” – L. Zenushkina”
The 2021 Taliban “Victory”: A U.S.-backed Coup
A lot is being written about the Taliban’s sudden victory in Afghanistan. Let me be clear: this is not a defeat for U.S. imperialism, it is a thinly veiled coup d’état on behalf of U.S. imperialism. It took the Taliban 2 years (1994-96) to capture Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, from the ragtag assembly of anti-communist warlordsContinueContinue reading “The 2021 Taliban “Victory”: A U.S.-backed Coup”
Review: “In The Grip of Terror” – Andrei Grachev
Andrei Grachev’s “In the Grip of Terror” is a brilliant indictment of U.S.-led Western imperialism. It is the best of Michael Parenti’s “The Terrorism Trap: September 11 and Beyond”, “ The Sword & The Dollar: Imperialism, Revolution & the Arms Race”, and “Against Empire”; William Blum’s “Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions Since WorldContinueContinue reading “Review: “In The Grip of Terror” – Andrei Grachev”
Review: “Scandinavian Social Democracy Today” – O. K. Timashkova
“Scandinavian Social Democracy Today” by O. K. Timashkova is one of the many books by Progress Publishers, naturally one of my favourite publishers, that I recently acquired from Gould’s Books in Australia. Obviously a Marxist-Leninist analysis of Scandinavian social democracy and so-called “democratic socialism” by a Soviet scholar intrigued me. Timashkova really dives into theContinueContinue reading “Review: “Scandinavian Social Democracy Today” – O. K. Timashkova”
Review: “Super Profits and Crises! Modern U.S. Capitalism” – Victor Perlo
I still have one more chapter to read (“Socialism vs. Capitalism”) but I couldn’t wait to share this book with everyone because this book is FRIGGIN AWESOME! Victor Perlo was a Marxist-Leninist economist and statistician. In “Super Profits and Crises! Modern U.S. Capitalism,” Perlo combines an immense amount of economic and statistical data with theContinueContinue reading “Review: “Super Profits and Crises! Modern U.S. Capitalism” – Victor Perlo”
Review: “The 900 Days: The Siege of Leningrad” – Harrison E. Salisbury
“The 900 Days: The Siege of Leningrad” by Harrison E. Salisbury…SUCKS! This book really, really sucks, and is a terrible, terrible book. The title of the book is extremely misleading; indeed, only slightly more than half the total number of pages (54%) in the book actually have anything to do with the siege of Leningrad.ContinueContinue reading “Review: “The 900 Days: The Siege of Leningrad” – Harrison E. Salisbury”
Review: “France’s Wars in Chad: Military Intervention and Decolonization in Africa” – Nathaniel K. Powell
In “France’s Wars in Chad: Military Intervention and Decolonization in Africa,” Nathaniel K. Powell meticulously examines France’s multiple military interventions in Chad between Chadian independence in 1960 and Hissène Habré’s seizure of power in 1982. Powell argues that France’s military interventions in Chad, its support to competing armed factions and ruthless dictatorial regimes, not onlyContinueContinue reading “Review: “France’s Wars in Chad: Military Intervention and Decolonization in Africa” – Nathaniel K. Powell”
Review: “Russia’s Protectorates in Central Asia: Bukhara and Kiva, 1865-1924” – Seymour Becker
Seymour Becker’s analysis of Russia’s conquests of the khanates of Bukhara and Khiva is considered the book on the subject. However, I did not find this book lived up to its reputation in Central Asian studies circles. What is most striking about this book is Becker’s elementary understanding of imperialism and empire. Throughout much ofContinueContinue reading “Review: “Russia’s Protectorates in Central Asia: Bukhara and Kiva, 1865-1924” – Seymour Becker”
Early Thoughts: “Russia’s Protectorates in Central Asia: Bukhara and Kiva, 1865-1924” – Seymour Becker
Seymour Becker’s analysis of Russia’s conquests of the khanates of Bukhara and Khiva is considered the book on the subject. Although I am only about 70 pages into the book, what I find most striking about this book is Becker’s inability to understand Lenin’s theory of imperialism and his determination to prove that Russia’s motivesContinueContinue reading “Early Thoughts: “Russia’s Protectorates in Central Asia: Bukhara and Kiva, 1865-1924” – Seymour Becker”
Review: “Japan’s New Imperialism” – Rob Steven
“Japan’s New Imperialism” by Rob Steven is a slightly-dated (published 1990) but nonetheless comprehensive analysis of the rise of Japanese imperialism in Southeast Asia since the 1970s. Since the end of decolonization, “a new revolutionary force is sweeping through and transforming Southeast Asia. That force is capitalism, and once again the catalytic upsurge in itsContinueContinue reading “Review: “Japan’s New Imperialism” – Rob Steven”
(OLDIE!) Review: “Fiji: Race and Politics in an Island State” – Michael C. Howard
(This is an OLDIE – an old review from years ago! My views and opinions might have changed since then.) Michael Howard’s “Fiji: Race and Politics in an Island State” provides interesting insight into Fijian and Pacific politics, despite its liberal weaknesses. Fiji, the author argues, is no democratic and racial paradise but rather isContinueContinue reading “(OLDIE!) Review: “Fiji: Race and Politics in an Island State” – Michael C. Howard”
Review: “Cuba & Angola: The War for Freedom” – Harry “Pombo” Villegas
“Cuba & Angola: The War for Freedom” is a firsthand account of Cuba’s internationalist mission in Angola. Within months of achieving independence from Portugal after more than 400 years of colonial rule, Angola was attacked by Zairean and South African forces and mercenaries. Between 1975-91, in response to a call for assistance by Angola’s leaders,ContinueContinue reading “Review: “Cuba & Angola: The War for Freedom” – Harry “Pombo” Villegas”
Peacekeeping: Fiction vs. Reality
(Image: Protest in Haiti against UN sexual crimes against women. Source) The word peacekeeping is like the word terrorism: it is meaningless on its own and able to be molded to serve the interests of a political clique. Like Alex P. Schmidt’s description of terrorism in The Routledge Handbook of Terrorism Research, peacekeeping “is usuallyContinueContinue reading “Peacekeeping: Fiction vs. Reality”
Canada’s $15 Billion Saudi Arms Deal: What History Tells Us
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it is a “matter of principle” that Canada follows through with a $15 billion armaments deal with Saudi Arabia, a totalitarian state which funds international terrorism, stones women to death for the crime of being raped, and that leads the world in public beheadings. This decision has been sharply criticizedContinueContinue reading “Canada’s $15 Billion Saudi Arms Deal: What History Tells Us”
T. J. Petrowski 