Central Asia in World War Two: The Impact and Legacy of Fighting for the Soviet Union

Central Asia in World War Two examines the experiences of minorities fighting for the Soviet Union under Stalin in the Second World War, based on archival research. It reveals the interactions of the individual citizen and the Soviet state, weaving together the experiences of over three hundred ordinary men and women in Central Asia as they coped with their new roles on the front line or in the rear. The impact of forced assimilation, cultural indoctrination, anti-Semitism, and re-education on the region was as great as the daily fight for survival in wartime, and the legacy of the period is complex, with struggles over the ownership and revision of history continuing today.

Format: Hardback
Length: 408 pages
Publication date: 11 January 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Central Asia has long been a strategic crossroads between East and West, and its location on the ancient Silk Road made it a coveted territory for empires throughout history. In the 19th century, Central Asia was colonized by Cossacks and traders from the north, and it became part of the Soviet Union. During World War II, Central Asia experienced population displacements on an even greater scale, with troops sent westwards into action and waves of civilians traveling eastwards into the region. This book examines how these population displacements affected the individual citizen and the Soviet state, and how the experiences of ordinary men and women in Central Asia shaped the course of the war. Based on meticulous archival research, the book considers the interactions of the individual citizen and the Soviet state, weaving together the experiences of over three hundred ordinary men and women in Central Asia as they coped with their new roles on the front line or in the rear. The book reveals how conscripts were often slaughtered or scapegoated in their regiments, while the women and children left at home were subjected to forced assimilation, cultural indoctrination, anti-Semitism, and re-education. Davis argues that the impact of forced assimilation, cultural indoctrination, anti-Semitism, and re-education on the region was as great as the daily fight for survival in wartime. The legacy of these experiences continues to shape Central Asia today.

Weight: 762g
Dimension: 163 x 241 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350372290