Description
Book SynopsisCentral Asia has long been situated at the geographical crossroads of East and West, once strategically located on the ancient Silk Road. The envy of the expanding Russian empire, it was colonized in the 19th century by Cossacks and traders from the north. This book examines how Central Asia, by then part of the Soviet Union, experienced population displacements on an even greater scale during the Second World War. Vicky Davis analyses how troops were sent westwards into action, only for waves of civilians to travel eastwards into the region: evacuees, refugees and even internal deportees sent into exile from their homelands in other parts of the vast Soviet Union.
Central Asia in World War Two is the first book to tackle the subject of minorities fighting for the Soviet Union under Stalin in the Second World War. Based on meticulous archival research, it considers the interactions of the individual citizen and the Soviet state, weaving together the experiences of ove
Trade Review
Central Asia in World War Two makes a persuasive case for viewing the region as central to our understanding of the war. Using impressive archival research, Vicky Davis allows the voices of dozens of Central Asians to tell their own stories. An impressive achievement. * Stephen Norris, Professor of History, Miami University, USA *
Table of Contents
List of Figures List of Maps Notes on the Text List of Abbreviations Glossary Place Names Map of the Soviet Union Map of Central Asia Introduction Part 1 – Fighting for the Soviet Union 1. War in the Wind 2. Preparations for War 3. At the Fighting Front Part 2 – The Impact of War on the Home Front 4. Wartime Economy: Everything for the Front! Everything for Victory! 5. Society in Wartime: The Family, Health and Education 6. Propaganda and the Culture War Part 3 – Comings and Goings: The Movements of a Displaced Population 7. Seeking Sanctuary in Central Asia: Evacuees, Refugees and VIPs 8. Forced Deportations to Central Asia Part 4 – The Legacy of the Second World War in Central Asia 9. The Cultural and Social Legacy of the War Select Bibliography Index
