The other Europe : Eastern Europe to 1945

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"The Other Europe is a general history of Eastern Europe, from the earliest times to the end of World War II. Garrison Walters provides an informed and interpretively refreshing focus on this key region. Walter's objective is to acquaint the reader with the complex past of this politically and culturally important area. The general lack of knowledge about Eastern Europe is in part due to the vast diversity of its lands (language barriers themselves have daunted many scholars) and to the fact that, before the imposition of the Soviet template in 1944-45, what is now called Eastern Europe was not usually perceived as a distinct geopolitical entity. "The other Europe" as defined by Walters encompassed Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Albania. Today these countries form the strategic zone between Western Europe and the Soviet Union. Walters emphasizes the phenomenon of nationalism because of its varied manifestations in the region, and he examines the way each nation sees itself, its neighbors, and the world beyond. The Other Europe describes major events - predominantly revolution and war - that have shaped these countries' national consciousness and their distinctive cultural heritages."--Provided by publisher.