The Broken Years: Russia's Disabled War Veterans, 1904-1921

The Broken Years explores the forgotten story of Russia's disabled ex-servicemen through three wars and three revolutions, revealing how the state treated them, their battle for legal status, and their right to healthcare. It also shows how the experience of these veterans reconfigured notions of heroism and patriotism and fostered healthcare and social welfare policy.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 17 February 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The Broken Years is a captivating book that delves into the untold story of Russia's disabled ex-servicemen, their experiences during three wars and three revolutions: the Russo-Japanese War, the Russian Civil War, and the First World War. Through extensive archival research from national, regional, and town archives, Alexandre Sumpf sheds light on the treatment of these veterans by the state, their struggle for legal recognition, and their rightful access to collective and individual health care.

Sumpf's work uncovers how the issue of disabled veterans became intertwined with broader political and social debates in the early 20th century, ultimately shaping healthcare and social welfare policies. The experiences of these 1.14 million war veterans profoundly impacted notions of heroism, sacrifice, and patriotism, while the period between 1915 and 1919 witnessed a significant surge in political activism by disabled veterans.

Dr. Sumpf's book is particularly insightful in illustrating how the Bolsheviks condemned disabled veterans as symbols of the "imperialist war" and brutally violated their rights as part of a broader devaluation of the war experience in early Soviet Russia. This period marked a dark chapter in the history of disability rights, as the Bolsheviks sought to erase the memory and contributions of these veterans, who had fought for their country's freedom.

The Broken Years is a valuable contribution to the field of history, shedding light on the forgotten experiences of Russia's disabled ex-servicemen and their struggle for recognition and equality. It serves as a reminder of the importance of honoring the sacrifices made by all veterans, regardless of their physical abilities, and of the ongoing challenges faced by disabled individuals in societies around the world.

Weight: 602g
Dimension: 159 x 237 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781316517741