9X6 – Dissertation Preparation for Honours History (2020/1)

Question- I am currently working on the final edit of my dissertation question. However the topic my research will follow is how looking at the social and cultural influences that can be said to have influenced 18th century folklore characters/motifs and how the themes of politics/ sexuality and gender are explored through depictions of these characters/motifs in American media in the early 21st century.  ( 1995-2008)

1.  Journal – Weinstein, Deborah  Sexuality, therapeutic culture, and family ties in the United States after …: StirGate from Stirling University Library (2018) History of Psychology © 2018 American Psychological Association
   2018, Vol. 21, No. 3, 273–289

I found this article through searching for gender and sexuality issues in 1990s America. The purpose of this article is to follow the progress of the development of the gay rights movement in America between 1970- 1990s.  The reader can see that society began to consider the acceptance of homosexuality as individuals began to acknowledge that medical treatment for it was unnecessary and cruel punishment.  Therefore the source closely looks at how by the 1990s America became a more progressive country in terms of looking at sexuality but it acknowledges that there was still important development needed. This source is useful to my dissertation as it establishes that sexuality in the 1990s was a highly important social issue which can link to this theme being explored in depictions of folklore in the media.

I plan to access American newspapers from the 1990s as an example of a primary source as they can also shed light on the prominence of these issues I will be discussing in my dissertation during this time period. I also plan to look at different tv shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed and True Blood which were made in this time period and how using the folklore motifs explore politics, gender and sexuality.

Blurred lines: Exploring contemporary attitudes to gender
portrayal in the media
James Bryson and David Bunker (2015) Market Research Society

I found this article through searching on google scholar for how gender is explored in the mass media, through reading this it helped me in my ability to critique how these programmes explore these important themes.

The Perpetuation of Subtle Prejudice: Race and
Gender Imagery in 1990s Television Advertising

Sex Roles, Vol. 42, Nos. 5/6, 2000

Scott Coltrane & Melissa Melino

This article was found by again searching race and gender issues in 1990s media through JSTOR. This was helpful to my dissertation as it highlighted how in television adverts white women are often seen as ‘sex objects’ and people of other races are often not shown in quite the same reguard. This helps me as it can develop my argument of how in comparison this use of folklore in the media often tries to show idealistic version of the world and represent the unpresented.

Gender, Race, and Animality in
Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Jeffrey Pannekoek and Karin Anderson (2017)

I accessed this through the library catalogue at Stirling. Through reading this I was able to see how the protagonist of Buffy the Vampire Slayer seemed to be a pioneer of feminist characters in the media, other characters in popular tv and culture were often falling prey to sexist stereotypes. This is important and useful to my dissertation as we can see the relationship between the further calls for womens rights and how women are potrayed in the media at this time.

 

Primary Sources:

“Bank of Scotland” Dundee Courier, Thursday 4^th April, 1946.

This article contributes to the contrasting methodology I’m using to write my dissertation. It is prevalent in this article that women are welcomed back into the workplace after World War II and their previous service is recognised and appreciated. This article has contributed to my understanding that women did return or remain in the workplace after World War II ended and were welcomed.

 

“House and Home” Hull Daily Mail, Thursday 14^th November, 1918.

In contrast to women being welcomed in the workplace after World War II, this article which was published after World War I is pledging to women to stay home. Women receive a small appraisal but the main focus of the article is that women have to go home to heal their household. Furthermore, it is stated in the article that a woman can no longer play her role in the workplace now the men have returned, she should return home.

 

Secondary Sources:

Reed, Stacey. “Victims or Vital: Contrasting Portrayals of Women in WWI British Propaganda.” (2014): 81-92.

This article contributes to my contrasting approach of emphasising the difference of women’s propaganda in World War I and World War II. Stacey highlights that between 1914 and 1918 propaganda portrayed women in two main personas. Either a helpless damsel in distress or a vital part of Britain’s war economy.

 

Carruthers, Susan L. “‘Manning the Factories’: Propaganda and Policy on the Employment of Women, 1939–1947.” History 75, no. 244 (1990): 232-256.

In contrast to World War I propaganda, in World War II female aimed propaganda was much more emancipated. There were various female mobilisation propaganda schemes such as films portraying women as nurses, airwomen and playing a vital role in industrial employment emphasising the efficiency of women in the workplace. This female aimed propaganda was on a much bigger scale in the 1940s in contrast to female propaganda in World War I.

 

Pyecroft, Susan. 1994. “British Working Women and the First World War.” The Historian 56 (4): 699.

Pyecroft highlights that despite women’s effort in the workplace in World War I, women either returned to the home after the war or were downgraded to traditional women’s jobs such as textiles. Furthermore, Pyecroft highlights that the percentage of women working by 1921 was lower than the percentage of working women in 1911.

Ward, Barbara. “Women in Britain.” Foreign Affairs 22, no. 4 (1944): 561-76.

In contrast, Ward highlights that World War II created a recognition and a need for women’s work in Britain. This is a valuable source for my research as Ward elaborates on women’s education and socialising throughout World War II which are potential topic sentences I would like to look further into in the process of my dissertation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For my dissertation I plan on researching women within politics in the 19^th century, I have yet to decide the particular area I will be focusing on however I intend to explore women’s suffrage along-side women in politics before 1914.

Primary source’s

Anti- Suffrage badge, 1910-1918

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_1984-0558-1

The above source was taken from the British museum and can be seen as a badge of honour worn to those who opposed the suffragette campaign, this can be seen as an effective source as it highlights the way in which you were praised to supress the act for women’s political change.

Notes of the Week, Sunday,  July 16, 1865, London, England

\https://go-gale-com.ezproxy-s1.stir.ac.uk/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=Newspapers&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&hitCount=253&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=1&docId=GALE%7CFP1801190206&docType=Article&sort=Pub+Date+Forward+Chron&contentSegment=ZSUN-MOD1&prodId=STHA&pageNum=1&contentSet=GALE%7CFP1801190206&searchId=R9&userGroupName=unistirl&inPS=true

The above source can be seen to showcase the beginnings of discussion of both men and women having the opportunity to vote, however this was not immediate action it can be seen as a point to begin developing further.

https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw233665/Suffragettes-After-the-fight-four-unknown-women-and-three-unknown-Policemen

Suffragettes ‘After the fight’ (four unknown women and three unknown Policemen) by Central Press vintage print, circa 1914

The above primary source was taken from the national portrait gallery. This can be seen as a useful source as it highlights the ways in which the women’s suffragette movement encouraged many women fight for a worthy cause.

Secondary sources

Julia Bush (2002) British women’s anti-suffragism and the forward policy, 1908-14, Women’s History Review, 11:3, 431-454

In this article it focuses on the female leaders that were opposed to the      women’s suffrage campaign, these women in which fought and contributed to the war efforts and were committed to social action against the suffragettes. This can be seen as useful as it provides a different perspective on women during this period of time and can be seen to show the controversy between women.

The Men’s Share? Masculinities, Male Support and Women’s Suffrage in Britain, 1890-1920 Claire Eustance, Prof Angela V John, Angela V. John 1997

This book shares the insights to the men behind the women, those who supported the change of women’s rights and the way in which they used their own power to take charge and pressure the government to enact change, focusing specifically on the men in which fought for change. As it is often seen women were at the frontline of women’s suffrage in the 19^th century this can be seen as a useful insight into the men who stood by and broke through this change.

The March of the Women: A revisionist Analysis of the Campaign for Women’s Suffrage, 1866-1914, Martin Pugh, 2002

This book takes a different approach in regard to women’s suffrage and instead analysis the fact that women had won the argument for universal suffrage by 1900, this can be seen as the author draws towards the inadequate attempts of those who were anti-suffragist. This source also focuses on the support that the suffragists gathered support from the working class and the labour party.

I am currently researching the 1st interregnum of the Scottish Wars of Independence (1286-1328). I am thinking of looking at Andrew Moray  (d.1297), the often forgotten hero of the early part of the 1st interregnum and especially The Battle of Stirling Bridge; and also William Wallace. I have a lot broader knowledge of William Wallace so this annotated bibliography will mostly be centred around him.

Blind Harry. The Wallace. 1471-79. MS. National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh. Robbins Library Digital Project.

This is a biography of William Wallace written in the form of a poem, more than 160 years after Wallace’s death. It is based on an original biography written by a close boyhood friend, John Blair. Unfortunately this original biography has been lost through time. Therefore Blind Harry’s, The Wallace, is the closest biographical source regarding William Wallace.

Bower, Walter. Scotichronicon

Scotichronicon is a 15th century chronicle written by the Scottish Historian, Walter Bower. It is a history of Scotland pre 15th century and is a follow on of the work of John of Fordun’s Chronica Gentis Scotorum. Part of Scotichronicon details Wallace’s life.

The Lubeck Letter.

This letter was written after the Battle of Stirling bridge by Wallace and Moray to the leaders in Lubeck and Hamburg detailing that Scotland was able to open up trade links again and the merchants of Hamburg and Lubeck would have access to all the ports in Scotland to trade free from English interference. This letter is one of the first sources to declare that Scotland was free from the English overlordship.

The Lanercost Chronicle

This Chronicle is from Northern English history and covers the period of 1201- 1346. It mainly covers English history but also the wars of independence; during which events including Wallace and Moray are described. Post 1297 it is assumed to have been written by a man who had a hatred of Scots and Scotland. So this needs to be taken with a view that it may be biased and not contain the truth.

 

Gray, D. J. William Wallace: The King’s Enemy. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1991.

This is a Biography of William Wallace which is, not only about his life, but also his legacy after his death in 1305. It goes into great depth about his life

These are all sources I have read or partly read during my time at university. Once it is safe to do so and restrictions are lifted I plan on going to archives for souces. If not, I will have to make do with online sources.

 

The aim of my dissertation is to examine monastic responses to Viking attacks in Anglo-Saxon England and Ireland, and to debunk the myth of frail and helpless monks being killed. Due to period of my dissertation topic I am limited in terms of resources I can use in my research; I intend to focus archives and other historical documents. I have not yet decided on an exact period that will be focused upon during this project.

Primary Sources

McDonald, R and Somerville, A (2014). The Viking age: a reader. 2nd ed. North York, Ontario, Canada: University of Toronto Press.

The first source I intend to utilise is the Vikings Age by McDonald and Somerville. I obtained this book for a module completed in a previous semester and I consider it useful for the research if my dissertation. This book includes multiple primary sources from the Viking era which will provide an insight into the events occurring at the time. Chapter Seven: Sudden and Unforeseen Attacks of Northmen within this book is a great example as it directly relates to Viking attacks in both England and Ireland and how these barbaric acts were dealt with. However, while it is not exclusive to my exact area of research, it does detail some interesting accounts of interactions between monasteries and Viking raiders. Furthermore, these sources should be used cautiously as they only portray an English/Irish perspective of these events because the Vikings did not keep accounts of their endeavours, meaning there may be inconsistencies or an absence of truth. Overall, this book is extremely easy to read due to the way it has been laid out and is an excellent source of monastic actions and responses.

English Historical Documents c.500-1042, ed D.Whitelock (London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1995)

This source was found in the Viking Age book by McDonald and Somerville, it is a series of letters sent by a churchman and scholar Alcuin to King Athelred regarding the sack of the monastery of Lindisfarne on the east coast of England on the 8^th June 793. These letters mention the appearance of Vikings in England at the monastery at Lindisfarne along with their perceived way of defending their lands, retaining faith in god. This is an extremely useful source due to it originating to the time of Viking attacks and in itself depicts a response of the victims, to call for help from the most powerful person in the country in King Athelred. However, this source is limited to a singular monastery and cannot represent the actions of them all in this period.

Secondary Sources

Lavelle, R. and Roffey, S. eds., (2015). Danes in Wessex: The Scandinavian Impact on Southern England, c. 800 c. 1100. Oxbow Books.

This source was found through a search on JSTOR and was accessed through the Stirling University library collections. This book details Viking actions specific to Southern England and their impact with there also being mention of raids upon monasteries in these areas and how they responded. Due to this source being dedicated to Wessex in Southern England it does not help for monasteries in other parts of the country or for those in Ireland meaning that further reading will need to be completed.

Winroth, A (2014). The age of the Vikings. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

This source was found on the reading list from a previously completed module. Throughout the book by Winroth there is mention of monasteries which were targeted by the Vikings and there is some discussion of how they responded, such as moving further inland to avoid being isolated and vulnerable. While this book is useful, the information relevant to my dissertation is widely spread throughout the book and not easily found which causes issues. Furthermore, the book focuses more on the Vikings and their actions rather than the monasteries and their responses.

For my dissertation I intend to look at how attitudes towards women in Britain changed through looking at World War One propaganda. 

Primary Sources

Unknown Author. (1914). Women of Britain Say ‘Go!’. Available at: https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/women-britain-say-go#

I found this primary source on the British Library Website. The source is a piece of propaganda in a poster format which was designed in World War One to encourage women to make their men to enlist in the war. It was also created to make men feel ashamed for not enlisting. The poster effectively captures the divisions between men and women at the time as it was a noble motivation for men to enlist as they were protecting women and children. 

Unknown Author. (1915). Go! It’s Your Duty Lad. Available at: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/28450

I came across this primary source while looking through the Imperial War Museum’s collection on propaganda. While the previous source was reminding all women to encourage their men to enlist, this particular poster appealed directly to mothers. The poster depicts a mother with her arm around her son claiming that it’s ‘his duty’ to enlist. It is stating that mothers should put aside their selfish reasons for not wanting their sons to enlist and ensure that they do. 

 Unknown Author. (Date Unknown). Women Wanted Urgently. Available at: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/31380

Like the last primary source, this one is also from the Imperial War Museum’s collection. While the date is unknown, I assume from reading secondary sources that it is from 1915 onwards as that is around the period when women’s role at the home front became urgent. The poster highlights the shift in attitudes towards women as women were beginning to adopt ‘male’ employment roles. By having the word ‘urgent’ in bold and in red, it conveyed the need for female workers as men were being conscripted. 

Scott, S. (1916). These Women Are Doing Their Bit. Available at: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/24057

Again, this primary source was found whilst looking through the Imperial War Museum’s collection. Like the last source, the poster is encouraging women to work in employment areas usually dominated by men – in this poster in particular it is appealing to women to work in munitions. The women in the poster looks eager to take advantage off the new employment made available to her as a result of the war. 

Secondary Sources

Monger, D. (2014). ‘Nothing Special? Propaganda and Women’s Roles in Late First World War Britain’ in Women’s History Review. Routledge 

I came across this source whilst looking through the Stirling University library catalogue. The article looks at the National War Aims Committee (NWAC) which ran a propaganda newspaper called Welcome. The NWAC romanticised women through propaganda by portraying them as cartoons undertaking domestic roles to ensure to the men at war that everything was okay at home. While the NWAC romanticised women, they also praised women’s contribution to the war through their roles as nurses, auxiliaries, munition workers etc. 

Braybon, G. (2013). Women Workers in the First World War. Abingdon: Routledge 

Chapters one and two of this book are useful in understanding the role in which women played during World War One. They explore why and how women undertook male dominated roles and how helpful their contributions were. The book also gives useful statistics such as 1 in 3 working women were ‘replacing’ a male worker in industrial roles in 1917 (p. 46). 

For my dissertation, I am planning to look at antisemitism within Nazi-occupied Europe (focal point – Poland), focusing on the Ghettos and how this was the starting point towards leading up to the Final Solution by looking at extermination camps such as Treblinka, Belzec and Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Primary Sources:

Max Eichler, Du bist sofort im Bilde (Erfurt: J. G. Cramer’s Verlag, 1939) pp. 139-142.

I found this in a German Propaganda Archive dealing with antisemitism (named – bending spines) and the source in English is named, “The Jewish Problem” and is from a book (citizen’s handbook) to the Third Reich. This specific section mentions that the Nazi measures against the Jews are rational and defensive, however there are also points in these rules that are indicating, what is to happen next to Jewish people under the Nazi regime. It gives measures on the exclusion of Jews from the German Economy, such as prohibiting the Jewish citizens owning shops. There are measures against the Jews in the Cultural Arena, with not being able to attend concerts or theatres and children being places into Jewish schools, being segregated from non-Jewish children. This source is useful as it gives detail into the rules, that Jews had to abide to, after essentially being removed from society.

Extracted from A. Levin, Mi-Pinkaso she ha-More mi-Yehudiya (“From the Notebook of the Teacher from Yehudiya”), Beit Lohamei ha-Geta’ot, 1969, p. 70.

Extract from The Warsaw Ghetto: Diary of Avraham Levin (June, 5, 1942)

“People die in great numbers of starvation, the typhus epidemic or dysentery, they are tortured and murdered by the Germans in great numbers, but they do not escape from life by their own desire. On the contrary, they are tied to life by all senses, they want to live at any price and survive the war.”

I found this on the Jewish Virtual library and the diary extract shows the conditions of the Warsaw ghettos and this was just another way in killing Jews, before the survivors were transported to the likes of Treblinka. This source is useful in displaying the cruel conditions Jewish people faced during the Nazi occupation of Poland and how I’ll be able to write about the experiences of anti-Semitism leading up to the Nazi’s final plan of the extermination of Jews across Nazi-occupied Europe.

Der Adler, 26 November 1940, p. 624.

I found this once again the German propaganda archives (named – bending spines) and this piece of Propaganda is an advert for a film called “Jud Süß”, (Süss the Jew.) While researching the film, the main plot explained is a Jewish man awaits execution on the gallows by the Nazis. The film was the idea of Joseph Goebells, and later was to encourage members of the SS and the public to view, as it depicted what Jews were like in society. The film also talks about Kristallnacht, the destruction of hundreds of synagogues and shops owned by Jews. This source will be useful to me, as it shows that Hitler’s regime was brainwashing the citizens supporting Hitler, into thinking Jews were literal parasites in the world.

Secondary Sources:

Charnysh, Volha, and Evgeny Finkel. “The death camp Eldorado: political and economic effects of mass violence.” American political science review 111, no. 4 (2017): 801-818.

I came across this review while looking for information into extermination camps and it analyses the horrific conditions of Treblinka and that during 1942 hundreds of thousands polish Jews were transported to be exterminated. After shutting down ghettos in Poland, it was believed by Polish Jews that they were being moved to labour camps, however it was the Nazis “Final Solution” that began to take place. This source is useful to use as it shows the horrific movement of antisemitism during WW2 and how it got increasingly worse for Jewish citizens. By using this secondary source it gives me a good insight into the Nazi ideas of persecution and the design of the camps.

Lichtblau, Eric. “The Holocaust just got more shocking.” New York Times 1 (2013): 2013.

This was found as an extract of the New York Times while trying to find useful documents online and it mentions in this source the horrifying use of Labour and extermination camps, along with the Warsaw ghetto, the antisemitism placed upon Jews during the War was catasthrophic. All these sources show how awful the lives of Jewish citizens were during Nazi-occupied Europe and how the antisemitism changed over the course of 1933-1945, by the closing of shops to the mass extermination of Jews. This source will give me a good insight into Nazi occupied Europe.

 

My Dissertation is going to look at British attitudes during the Napoleonic Wars, potentially zooming in on attitudes towards Russia or maybe just attitudes in general.

Primary Sources:

For my primary sources I have a variety of graphic satires, or political cartoons as they are more commonly known, and at the moment they all focus on Russia but there is not real shortage of these for the Napoleonic Wars in general. These images served to create stereotypes and usually summed up shared ideas about certain topics, people, countries, or events. For example, many cartoons showed Napoleon himself as a tiny man and that is a view that is still held today.

• Cruickshank, Isaac. “General Swarrow, towing the French Directory into Russia!” jpeg image, British Museum, London, 1799.
• Elmes, William. “General Frost shaveing Little Boney,” jpeg image, University of Washington Library, 1812.
• Holland, William. “A tit bit for a Russian Ambassador!” jpeg image, Library of Congress, Washington D.C., 1803.
• Williams, Charles. “Political Quadrille,” jpeg image, National Portrait Gallery, London, 1806.

For my dissertation I also intend to use various issues of ‘The Times’ and ‘The Morning Chronicle’ as these papers held opposing political views. I have yet to find the exact issues yet but they will likely be from 1812 as this would cover Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, or the War of 1812 in America, and capture the British opinion of such an event. There is alos the potential to use either ‘The Herald’ or ‘The Courier’ for a more Scottish viewpoint.

The final pieces of primary evidence I will be using and contrasting is ‘The Gentleman’s Magazine’ and its sister publication ‘The Lady’s Magazine’. These were monthly periodicals published in London which featured a variety or articles. Again I intend to use these from the months of June-December 1812 to see what the public feeling about the invasion of Russia or the War of 1812 was and how it differed for men and women.

Secondary Sources:

• Feldbaek, Ole. “The Anglo-Russian Rapprochement of 1801,” Scandinavian Journal of History 3 (1978): 205-227. DOI 10.1080/03468757808578936

This article provides a good base point for British relations with Russia at the beginning of the 19th Century and helps to set the scene for the involvement of both nations in the next decade and a half of conflict with Napoleon.

• George, M.D. ” Pictoral Propaganda, 1793-1812: Gillray and Canning,” History 31 (1946): 9-25. https://doi-org.ezproxy-s2.stir.ac.uk/10.1111/j.1468-229X.1946.tb00891.x

This article discusses the use of satirical images as a form of propaganda which is an interesting argument that I could use when analysing some of my own primary source evidence.

• Colley, Linda. Britons: Forging the Nation, 1707-1837.London: Pimlico, 2003.

This book shows the development of British society througout the 18th and early 19th centuries which is a good starting point for me to understand the viewpoints that the newspapers and periodicals are suggesting and give me a bit more context for these events.

• McFarland, E.W. Ireland and Scotland in the Age of Revolution: Planting the Green Bough. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1994.

This book provides a more regional view of attitudes and experiences of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars which could go hand in hand with an examination of ‘The Herald’.

I am still fleshing out my secondary reading as you can see and I need to pick exact issues for my newspapers but this is my starting point for a topic on British attitudes to the Napoleonic Wars.

 

My initial topic idea for my dissertation is to examine what life was like for the Jewish population whilst living in the extermination camps with a main focus on what happened during medical experiments conducted by Nazi officials. This will hopefully give me a wider understanding to help me come to a narrowed down topic outline.

1. Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, Elie Wiesel’s Account on Life at Auschwitz,  https://www.hmd.org.uk/resource/elie-wiesel-hmd-2017/
   • • first hand account of the transportation from Sighet, Hungary to Auschwitz.
     • quotes about the transportation journey such as “lying down was not an option, nor could we all sit down. We decided to take turns sitting … After two days of travel, thirst became intolerable, as did the heat”.
     • can give an understanding of the thoughts of different Jews during the travel to Auschwitz and what life was like once they arrived.
2. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum “The Doctors Trial: The Medical Case of the Subsequent Nuremberg Proceedings” https://www.ushmm.org/information/exhibitions/online-exhibitions/special-focus/doctors-trial
   • • Documentation of the Nuremberg Trials with regard to medical experiments with survivor testimonies.
     • Vladislava Karolewska was deported to Ravensbrueck concentration camp just north of Berlin and was selected as a subject for a bone regeneration experiment.
     • can help give a more realistic idea about what really happened during the medical experiments as there is not many people who survived the experiments.
3. Jewish Virtual Library A Project of Aice “The Holocaust: Nazi Medical Experiments” https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/nazi-medical-experiments
   1. • Written letters between SS officers about experiments being done in various different extermination camps and photographic documentation of experiments being conducted on women, men and children.
      • Also a list of doctors who conducted many different experiments such as Josef Mengele, Karl Brandt and Carl Clauberg.
      • Experiments that were conducted such as bone transplantation, poisoning, freezing, sterilisation and nerve regeneration.
      • first hand account of what happened during the medical experiments and photographic evidence of what this not only looked like but the effects that it had physically on people.

I have no specific topic yet, but have I consulted with my dissertation supervisor and at this moment in time my reading is geared towards the reputation of Trotsky during the Russian Civil War (RCW). This topic will allow me to explore subjects I have a great interest in, including War Communism and the Red Terror – and will also allow me to study Trotsky in depth, a Bolshevik revolutionary who has always fascinated me.

Primary Source:

Butt, V.P., Murphy, A.B., Myshov, N.A., and G.R. Swain, eds. The Russian Civil War: Documents from the Soviet Archives. London: Macmillan Press Ltd, 1996.

I found this book whilst searching for primary source material and was able to purchase an online copy via the Palgrave website. It includes an enormous variety of primary sources regarding the RCW, all of which is in English. It is particularly useful to me as it includes accounts from the Anti-desertion Commissions on measures to deal with deserters. The dealing of deserters was of course integral to the reputation of Trotsky during the RCW. There is no obvious difficulty to using this source, although it is important to not over-rely on it and look further afield for primary sources.

Secondary Sources:

Mawdsley, Evan. The Russian Civil War. Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, 2017.

I found this book whilst searching the University of Stirling’s library portal. It is incredibly useful to me as it is the most recent historiography published on the RCW. It extensively covers nearly all RCW topics, many of which I am currently considering including in my dissertation, these include, but are not limited to: War Communism, the New Economic Policy, the Red Terror and the White Terror. Mawdsley also includes maps which illustrate areas of control in the Red and White Camps throughout the war, which helps to better my understanding of the RCW overall. The only limitation of this source is that because it covers such an extensive period – Mawdsley can only go into so much detail on each specific topic. It is therefore important to use this source as an introduction to the RCW and explore ideas/topics in more detail by reading historiography which is suited to a specific topic within the RCW.

Figes, Orlando. Peasant Russia, Civil War: The Volga Countryside in Revolution, 1917-1921. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Clarendon Press, 1989.

I also found this source whilst searching the University of Stirling’s library portal. This source is useful as it takes a more specific approach by focusing on the effects of the RCW on the Volga region. Furthermore, it is particularly useful for its focus on the peasant’s experience of the RCW, who played a fundamental role in Red victory and in doing so were also subject to Trotsky’s anti-desertion policies.

Service, Robert. Lenin: A Biography. London: Pan Books, 2010.

I had a copy of this book in my house and I therefore thought it would be a good starting point for my dissertation reading. Lenin, with Trotsky, orchestrated Red Victory during the RCW. So, it is incredibly useful to me as it discusses various RCW topics in depth which Lenin played a significant role in, particularly the transition from War Communism to the New Economic Policy. It also examines some of the many disagreements between Lenin and Trotsky during the RCW. The obvious limitation of this source is that it is entirely focused on Lenin, and it is not entirely focused on the RCW. Nevertheless, it has helped me to explore potential ideas and closely examine Trotsky’s relationship with Lenin during the RCW.