Empire: World History 94. The Bloody History of Russia & Ukraine
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Nov 2, 2023 
Anne Applebaum, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian known for her work on Russian and Soviet history, joins the discussion on the tragic interconnection between Russia and Ukraine. She delves into the bloody Civil War era and the devastating impact of Stalin's policies, particularly during the Great Famine, which led to millions of deaths. Applebaum highlights the resilience of Ukrainian villagers resisting oppression, the role of journalism in exposing the famine, and the lasting scars on Ukrainian identity shaped by these harrowing events.
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Ukrainian Independence and Bolshevik Invasion
- Following the February Revolution, Ukrainian nationalists declared independence in 1917.
- Bolsheviks invaded Ukraine, leading to a massive peasant rebellion, the largest in European history.
Lenin's View on Ukraine
- Lenin saw Ukraine as simply 'South Russia', vital for its grain production.
- The Bolsheviks aimed to conquer Ukraine for its agricultural resources to address food shortages.
Bolshevik Invasion and Ukrainian Fracture
- The Bolsheviks used the rhetoric of 'liberation' while invading Ukraine.
- Ukraine fractured into numerous factions during this period, including White Russians, Bolsheviks, and various Ukrainian groups.
