Author Archives: brettell98

For many, this time in Soviet history is seen as a time of relaxation in international relations between the U.S. and Soviets. When I think about this time it isn’t merely a period of relaxation, but a conditional era of co-existing between two superpowers. The Cold War was never really cold, it had seen manyContinue reading “Detente: Was it really relaxed?”

Most of us are familiar with the Red Army due to their infamous retaliation toward the Germans after the Battle of Stalingrad. The Red Army consisted of people who fought for more for themselves, but for sheer survival to not go quietly into the night. Often at times, I would find myself wondering how andContinue reading “The Hammer Strikes”

After the death of Vladimir Lenin began an era of socialist construction that would put Stalin’s vision of Russia would be shown to all of its citizens. During this time in Soviet history is where we truly see Stalinism and the collectivization of agriculture and building a modern industrialized economy at its peak. Human capitalismContinue reading “m.A.A.d soviets”

During this period of the Russian Empire the dynastic system in place had a clear distinction among the hierarchy of social classes. This, followed by rapid economic change within the Empire as the the economy wanted to grow and expand itself, along with the transcontinental railroad. Depicted in the photograph above is a carpenter inContinue reading “Carpenters of Samarkland”

My name is Max Ellis and welcome to my blog for this semesters class on 20th Century Russia. I am from Norfolk, VA, a graduate of Granby High School in 2016. My major is Political Science: National Security Studies, and this semester will be my last as an undergraduate here at Virginia Tech. The topicContinue reading “Welcome to my Blog!”