Robert Service Reviews The August Coup

Robert Service's review of "The August Coup" examines the swift and almost farcical collapse of Marxist-Leninist rule in Russia, which lasted 74 years and effectively ended in just three days in August 1991. This rapid disintegration, according to the review, highlights how hollowed out the Soviet system had become by that point. The period following the collapse saw Russia experiment with parliamentary democracy and unfettered capitalism before ultimately regressing back into an autocratic state. The review draws a parallel between the fall of the Soviet Union and the earlier collapse of Tsarism in 1917, suggesting that regimes in Russia tend to fall quickly and without significant resistance when their foundations are weakened. This pattern was nearly repeated in June 2023 when warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin led his forces on a march towards Moscow, facing little opposition. The review posits that Vladimir Putin may have narrowly avoided a similar fate to Tsar Nicholas II by making substantial promises to Prigozhin, though these were allegedly followed by Prigozhin's demise two months later. The book's narrative captures the ludicrousness of the old guard's attempts to regain control during the August 1991 coup. The review emphasizes that the Soviet system, established by leaders like Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, and Brezhnev, vanished with surprising speed, underscoring its inherent fragility. The subsequent trajectory of Russia, including its current "wholly unnecessary war against its neighbour and former possession, Ukraine," is presented as a direct consequence of this rapid and foundational collapse. Service's account provides a detailed look at the internal dynamics and external pressures that led to the Soviet Union's dissolution, offering insights into the nature of political transitions and the enduring patterns of Russian history. The review suggests that the events of August 1991 were not an isolated incident but rather a manifestation of deeper systemic issues that had been festering for years, culminating in a dramatic and definitive end to an era. The book's title, "The August Coup," directly references the pivotal three-day period in 1991 when hardline communists attempted to seize power, an event that ultimately accelerated the Soviet Union's demise. The review highlights the role of key figures and the prevailing atmosphere of the time, characterized by a significant degree of disarray and a lack of decisive action from those seeking to preserve the old order. The narrative presented in "The August Coup" is described as brilliant, effectively conveying the absurdity and the profound historical significance of the events it chronicles.