A History of Ukraine By Paul Robert Magocsi

You want a detailed history of Ukraine, this is the one for you. It's a textbook, plain and simple. In comparison to Gates of Europe, it's twice the number of pages, however the font is smaller and the pages are frankly bigger, so it's probably 3-4 times the actual length. For a comparison the details and facts around Khmelnytsky's Treaty of Pereiaslav with the Tsardom of Russia in Gates of Europe is a few pages, while in A History of Europe it takes of half a chapter on the specific details and the impact of the event on how it changed the course of Ukrainian history, is brought up time and again showing how the act started Ukraine down a road of closer relations to Russia than Poland, Sweden, or independence. Plus the book gives a better sense that Ukraine needed some benefactor, it was too valuable territory not to have invaders craving it, but also its fierce independence did make it weaker to respond to the threats. Beyond that, I get a far more detailed view of the effect of Byzantium, the Mongols, Poland, and others acting on Ukraine, and the history of the Cossaks, their beliefs, their lifestyle and the greed of the nobles of every class and how a desire to be on top of the status quo lead to certain decisions. I do feel the 20th century was a bit rushed, and the author's clear sympathies come through when evaluating Gorbachev and how it lead to the independence of Ukraine, but does not detract from the book. A History of Ukraine Домучал!
У-упорство!

Книга определенно нарративна, так что читать следует не ослабляя критического отношения к интерпретациям событий автором. A History of Ukraine I just wish that in my post-Soviet-era education had covered even a fraction of the information in this book. A History of Ukraine A History of Ukraine
Author: Paul Robert Magocsi
Publisher: University of Washington Press
Published In: Seattle, WA,USA
Date: 1997
Pgs: 784

REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Summary:
The state of Ukraine came into existence in the wake of the 1989 dissolution of the Soviet Union, but this wasn’t the first Ukrainian state. Little Russia, as she is sometimes known, has been in conflict, immigrational flux, and cultural evolution for many, many years. Cultures and peoples have marched across her settling and sweeping through: Russians, Greeks, Tatars, Poles, Lithuanians, Germans, Jews, Mennonites. She is all these and more. Her common Slavic ancestry with the Russia and Belarus aside, she has a rich history all her own. Previous histories were too much Russian history...Soviet history...Polish history...Lithuanian history with Ukraine thrown in because she was part and parcel to those. This is Mother Ukraine.

Genre:
History
Non-fiction

Why this book:
In light of current events, when I saw the spine of this book as I wandered the library, it had to come home with me.

This Story is About:
courage, working hard, greed, sadness, the sweep of history


Favorite Character:
I kept thinking that I was going to find a hero in Ukrainian history that would be my favorite character. One never presented themselves.

Least Favorite Character:
Stalin, Hitler...take your pick.

Character I Most Identified With:
N/A

The Feel:
Those poor bastards.

Favorite Scene:
The mental image of the continuous march of “barbarian” tribes sweeping in, settling down, absorbing the local populace, before being pushed out by the next wave of population. Funny how many of these tribes names appear on the list of “barbarians” who swept into the Roman Empire, sacked Rome, and settled down there too: Vikings, Scythians, Goths, the Huns.

Pacing:
The pace, for a history text, was good.

Plot Holes/Out of Character:
The history is very focused on the administrative elements of each of the rulers of the Ukraine. The book is more admin driven as opposed to event driven.

Hmm Moments:
I like how it gives a look at the historical viewpoints and political overtones of other histories as it tells its own story, ie: Russian, Soviet, Polish, Ukrainian. And the evolution of the Slavic peoples The idea of Pan-Slavism pushed by some other historians won’t survive a true study of the diversity of the peoples.

The Russian view has dominated Ukrainian history with Ukraine being seen as Little Russia, part and parcel of their larger Slavic brother. The Tsars used the idea of continuity from the Kievan principalities to give their rule more legitimacy and history. As a result, Ukrainian history in many texts has been seen as a parcel and part of Russia. This gives short or non-existent shrift to the Ukraine that existed prior to Russia and that is existing now beyond Russia. The Russian view of Ukraine as part of Russia, indeed, Little Russia, is apparent in recent current events.

Scholars in the West fell into the trap presented by the Russian/Soviet perspective on the history of Ukraine. They bought the lineage Kievan Rus-Muscovy-Russian Empire-Soviet Union. Many today, more properly, believe that the Kievan Rus is Ukrainian history and was adopted/co-opted by Russian and Soviet scholars and their rulers as a means of providing a longer lineage and the aura of stability to their studies and dynasties.

Interesting how many of the entities that conquered/subsumed the populations of the Ukraine would eventually go on to sack Rome and bring about the downfall of the Roman Empire.

World War One seems like just one more chapter of many masters walking across Ukraine and claiming it for their own for a brief moment before the next master of the land sweeps in.

The modern conflict in Ukraine seems to mirror the 1917 struggles between the Kharkiv Soviet Congress and the Central Rada, based in Kiev. In some aspects, they are still fighting the battles of the Russian Revolution that eventually birthed the Soviet Union. Though in that era, many didn’t consider the Crimea part of the Ukraine. In the 1917-1921 time frame, Ukraine had so many masters and nationalist movements, that by the time the Soviets finally truly grabbed power, they were probably relieved before realizing the horror that was to be visited upon them through Stalin’s forced resettlements, pogroms, purges, and urbanizations.

Why isn’t there a screenplay?
Could be a History Channel show, for sure.

Casting call:
N/A


Last Page Sound:
Damn.

Author Assessment:
The history is long and dry as any truly comprehensive history will be.

Very scholarly. Dry. But well done.

Editorial Assessment:
Well edited. Could have done with the section on the historical perspectives that have guided the scholarship on the history of Ukraine being shorter, but it did provide a guidepost for what is in print publicly.

Knee Jerk Reaction:
glad I read it

Disposition of Book:
Library

Would recommend to:
students of history, those interested in current events
A History of Ukraine I did not see any overt bias. A History of Ukraine

The author has fifteen hundred years of history packed into 750 pages with lots of maps. He writes from a distinctly Ukrainian perspective but very neutral in tone. For most of the histories of Ukraine and Ukrainians have been written from the point of view of either Poland or Russia. The latter, especially, has badly influenced the world view of Ukraine, as they try to claim all Ukrainian history for their own, and treat Ukrainians and Ukrainian language as second class.
This book is for anyone trying to understand how Ukrainians and Ukraine became the people and country they have. Kyivian-Rus disintegrated as a state after the Mongol destruction of Kyiv in 1240. Shifting back and forth under various empires and rulers for centuries, Ukrainians were at times recognized and encouraged as a people with a unique culture and language and at times subjected to extreme Polonization and/or Russification. The people of Galicia (Western Ukraine), under the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, were the most free develop as Ukrainians for the longest period of time time.
There were always those who dreamed of a united and free Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhia Cossacks in the 17th century, however their efforts were in vain. It was not until the 19th century that the idea of a Ukrainian people, culture and language really took hold. The Tsars tried to stamp it out; Lenin brought it back (Putin refered to Lenin's nationalities policy as a time bomb). Then in 1928, Stalin, having consolidated his power, set out to destroy all things Ukrainian. He could not succeed.
The current Russian propaganda that Ukraine is not a country, Ukrainians are not a people, and Ukrainian is not a language, has been disproven many times by their own actions over the centuries, as outlined in this history. Ukraine was never an integrated part of Russia, always treated as a colony from the very beginning. Ukrainians were not considered Russians, but Little Russians. The Ukrainian language is as distinct from Russian as it is from Polish, though both claimed it was merely a dialect. The current borders (including Crimea and Donbas) contain most of the ethnic Ukrainian population and right or wrong, are the internationally recognized borders. Historic precedent is irrelevant. The borders of every European country have been drawn and redrawn many times over the centuries.



A History of Ukraine The Ukraine under normal conditions is a highly esoteric topic for North Americans and Western Europeans. The country has never been on the Grand Tour, is expensive to get to and hard to travel in without an automobile. Nonetheless, it is September 2014. The Ukraine is at war again with Russia and this would be a good time to learn a little of the history of this country.

Magosci is nothing less than masterful in tying together the political, military, economic and cultural events of the Ukraine which for most of its history has had foreign rules and highly fluid borders. He explains the complex relations between Poland and Russia which for several centuries vied for control of the Ukraine. He also explains the complex religious history involving primarily the Greek Catholics and Orthodox churches but also including Judaism, Islam, and Armenian Catholicism. He provides an excellent overview of the Ukraine's major writers and composers. At the end, the reader thus has acquired a solid, introductory knowledge of all aspects of Ukrainian society.

Magosci has thus given us a very sold overview. What is now needed are more monographs examining the many issues and time periods in greater detail. A History of Ukraine History of Ukraine: The Land and Its Peoples by Paul Robert Magocsi, is an excellent one volume overview of Ukrainian history from its earliest times up to 2010. This book examines both the cut and dry territorial history, as well as the socio-cultural and economic forces that shaped the territory of Ukraine into what it is today. This includes examining the numerous people groups that inhabited and continue to inhabit this area, as well as the development of the Ukrainian nationality that we know today. Magocsi is intimately aware that Ukrainian history, and even the concept of Ukraine itself, is controversial. Four main schools of history exist in terms of Ukrainian history; the Ukrainian, Russian, Soviet, and Polish schools all adopt differing methods and conclusions to events in order to further more modern political objectives. All four schools offer valuable insight into Ukraine's history throughout the ages.

The book begins by examining these four schools of history, and each one should seem obvious. The Ukrainian school promotes the idea of Ukrainian ethnicity and nationality, and seeks connections with the past to promote Ukraine's national autonomy and identity. The Russian school seeks to show the close connections and historical origin points of Ukrainians and Russian, in order to promote Russian influence and control of Ukraine. The Soviet school played up these close connections as well, while building upon the idea of common brotherly culture between the peoples of Rus and the superiority of Eastern thought over Western thought. The Polish school plays up Ukraine's time as a series of provinces controlled by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the role Poles played in developing Ukraine. All four schools have there own agendas and nuances, and are tied into the historically restive Eastern European lands and there often violent histories.

The book then goes on to outline Ukrainian history in broad strokes. The movement of various peoples into steppe Ukraine, including many tribal groups from Central Asia, like the Bulgars, Magyars, Mongols and so on. This included the powerful Kipchak Empire, which ruled over much of Ukraine for centuries, trading and controlling the flow of goods into the Roman Empire from the Silk Road trade route from Asia. The settlement of the Crimea by Greek, Roman and Italian colonists and the creation of merchant cities along the coast is outlined as well. The development of the Rus Kingdom, the precursor to Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Russian societies, is examined in depth. This Kingdom was really a series of Princely feudal states ruled over by a Grand Prince. The state was historically centered at Kiev, and was responsible for the introduction of Orthodox Christianity into Eastern Europe. It had a close relationship to the Eastern Roman Empire, and shared culture, religion and commerce with the Black Sea region. Its influence stretched from traditional Ukrainian lands, north to Russia, and West into Poland. The Rus were the historical founders of many cities in the Ukrainian lands, and would play an important role in the development of Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian ethnic identity, as well as the historical muse for the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian Empire.

Another important group in the region at the time of the Rus were the Tartar's. These peoples would storm into the steppe region under the control of Genghis Khan's hordes, and would eventually seize control of the former Rus territories, creating a series of vassal states in Russia, while controlling much of Ukraine's coastal and steppe regions. This new state was called the Kipchak Khanate, or the Golden Horde - named after the Kipchak state of lore. This state controlled the Duchies of Russia as vassal states, and demanded tribute. In exchange, these duchies could run their own affairs, and would often compete for top dog status - known as the Grand Prince. This role was often held by Novgorod - the powerful merchant state in the north, but would pass on to Vladimir-Suzdal, the precursor to the Muscovite state and eventual founder of Russia.

This period saw growing competition over Ukrainian lands as outside forces sought to capitalize and control the steppe regions. The most important player int he region was Lithuania. This state started as a collection of Lithuanian tribal groups who banded together, and began to expand into Belarus and Ukraine. The Lithuanian state eventually became one of the most powerful states in Europe, and when it eventually joined into personal union with Poland, became a massive force to be reckoned with for almost two centuries. Poland would come to have an important role on the development of Ukraine. The provinces of Galicia, Volhinya, and much of Western and Central Ukraine were controlled by Poland-Lithuania, and subject to increasingly repressive methods of serfdom, as the lands were settled by Ukrainian's fleeing serfdom, and subsequently bought up by Polish nobles and enserfed. Eastern Ukraine was the domain of the Russian state of Muscovy, which was able to gain control of Sloboda Ukraine -roughly the eastern portion of modern Ukraine. Southern Ukraine was the domain of the Crimean Khanate - one of the successors of the Golden Horde. The Crimean Khanate came into vassalage of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey, which also annexed much of the Penninsula's fortresses and merchant cities directly, while allowing the Crimean's a high degree of autonomy.

During this period, the Cossack's began to become a force to be reckoned with. Cossack's were often peasants who fled the increasingly onerous control of Poland's nobility, and settled in Sich's (fortified towns) along Ukraine's steppe lands. Cossack's were threatened on all sides - by Poland in the West, Muscovy in the East, and Crimean slave raids in the south. They thus formed highly mobile and militarized units, and organized administratively along military regiment lines. They cherished their freedom from landlord control and overt taxation, and conducted raids into all neighboyring states - especially Crimean and Ottoman possessions. Cossack's also became valuable and highly mobile irregular soldiers in both Poland and Muscovy, and pro-Polish and pro-Russian Cossack's emerged. On one side, Polish Cossack's were often Uniate Christian - that is the Ukranian Catholic denomination. They were also of higher social class, and eager to joint he ranks of Poland and Lithuania's powerful nobility. On the other, the Russian Cossack's were characterized by and Orthodox Christian zealousness, and heavily influenced by the Metropolitanate of Kiev - eventually moved to Moscow due to the fractious political situation in Kiev. Finally, the more independent minded Cossack's formed there own pseudo-state called Zaporizhia, which was a loose federation of Cossack bands under the control of a ruling Hetman.

The lands of Ukraine during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries began to become more fluid. Poland, Muscovy (and eventually Russia) and the Crimean/Ottoman states (to a lesser extent) began to compete over Ukrainian territory and its increasingly valuable agricultural produce. Poland, however, began to eclipse. Russia began to take more and more territory in the Ukraine, eventually annexing Poland's west bank Ukrainian lands, and incorporating Zaporizhia as well. The Cossack's deliberated as to which side to support, sometimes backing Russia, sometimes Poland, and even allying with the Crimean's as Russia began to incorporate Black Sea regions into its growing Empire. After Sweden's defeat in the Northern Wars, however, Russia became the great power in Eastern Europe. Eventually, Poland was divided among three states - Russia, Prussia, and Austria, with Russia and Austria splitting the Ukrainian lands among themselves. Russia gained most of modern Ukraine, while Austria got the Galician provinces. The author goes into great detail about the cultural, economic, political and social developments in Ukraine during this time period - important due to the growing sense of national identity among the Ukrainian peoples. This situation would remain stable until WWI.

After the defeat of the central powers in WWI, and the collapse of both the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires, Ukraine continued to be fractured. Poland took Galicia and much of the former Austrian Ukrainian lands. Romania grabbed Bukovina - another heavily Ukrainian populated region. In Eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian Nationalist forces fought with Bolsheviks from Russia, with the later eventually coming out on top and forming the Ukrainian SSR, merged with other Soviet Republics to become part of the USSR. Ukrainian identity went through periods of growth and decline during this time, depending on the will of the Soviet rulers at any particular time. The author goes into detail again about Ukraine's place as a Soviet Socialist Republic, and how this effected culture, the economy, and Ukraine's identity as a nation. The author concludes with an analysis of post-Soviet Ukraine up to the Orange Revolution, and the fractious nature of Ukraine's internal poltiical and ethnic situation - presciently stated as four years after this books publication, Ukraine has been beset by a civil war, and has seen the Crimean Peninsula annexed to Russia.

Magosci has written a brilliant one volume overview of Ukrainian history. It is well researched, very detailed, and extremely interesting. All aspects of Ukrainian history, and its many diverse peoples and developments, are chronicled in some detail. This is certainly one of the strongest contenders for Ukrainian history outside of largely academic texts - and I would easily recommend this book as an excellent one volume history. Highly enjoyable, well sourced, with numerous maps and diagrams, excellent historical analysis, and very readable. A History of Ukraine “The supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian Soviet socialist republic rules: to declare Ukraine an independent democratic state on September 24, 1991. From the moment of declaration of independence only the Constitution of Ukraine, its laws, resolutions of the government, and other legislative acts of the republic are active on its territory. To hold on December 1, 1991 a republican referendum on the confirmation of the declaration of independence. L. Kravchuk, Chairman of the supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian S.S.R.”—Resolution of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian S.S.R. on the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine, Kiev, august 24, 1991

So, there is no possible way to really give an overview of this book. It’s a difficult book to read that basically covers the last 1000+ years of Ukrainian history, its relationship with its neighbors (particularly Russia and Poland), and examines the various independence movements that have flowered during that time.
It is very much a book focused on Ukraine before 1914, although the last few chapters do go into pretty good depth on the slicing up of Ukraine to form modern day Poland after WW1 and the Soviet era which saw famine, brutality, and repression of Ukrainian independence movements.
It is also a book that is not only impressive in its scope, but also in its impartiality. The author rather than taking sides as to whether Ukraine is a “real” country, chooses to instead present its history as it is and let the reader decide.
Most of us in the West have fairly strong opinions these days on the question of Ukrainian independence and Russia’s invasion. Personally, I refer back to Indy Neidell, producer of The Great War series on YouTube (highly recommended!), who in commenting about Vladimir Putin’s claim that Ukraine is a “made up country” replied that essentially of course it is. All countries at some point have been factitious creations. Arbitrary geographical boundaries are drawn, sometimes land is taken at the point of gun. Other times, as in the case of Ukraine, people in a particular territory look at what they share in common and decide for themselves that they’d rather be their own nation than a part of someone else’s. In this sense, Ukraine is a “made up country” in the grand tradition of all made up countries throughout history. If the worst happens and Ukraine’s sovereignty comes to an end at the hands of Russia, it is a setback but not the end. Ukraine’s history, and the history of all people with aspirations to be the deciders of their own fate, tell us that much like sunflower seeds trampled into the ground, the day that they rise up and flower is never far away. A History of Ukraine A geographical area that has seen many very different people arrive, pass through, and stay has that many opinions as to actual fact of its origins, rightful ownership, and history. There are a few major historical perspectives on Ukraine (Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, and Soviet, which is a modified version of the Russian), but Magosci does a fine job at presenting the facts as to what happened in that geographical area without holding to a particular theory, including differing perspectives so the reader can see the entire picture. The pre-Kyivan information is really good at showing all the cultural influences that exsisted along with the slavs in that area. Who knew there Goths in Ukraine? I mean then. Not now. Totally tons of goths in Ukraine, I'm sure. A History of Ukraine

Although the new state of Ukraine came into being as one of many formed in the wake of the Revolution of 1989, it is hardly a new country. Paul Robert Magocsi tells its story from the first millennium before the common era to the declaration of Ukrainian independence in 1991, with a balanced discussion of political, economic, and cultural affairs. Tracing in detail the experiences of the Ukrainian people, he gives judicious treatment as well to the other peoples and cultures that developed within the borders of Ukraine, including the Greeks of the Bosporan Kingdom, the Crimean Tatars, and the Poles, Russians, Germans, Jews, and Mennonites all of whom form an essential part of Ukrainian history. A History of Ukraine

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