Romania The Entangled Revolution

Subjects:

• History » European History -- Modern/20th Century
• Multicultural Studies » Slavic Studies

Reviews:

• Ratesh offers a snapshot of the Romanian revolution of 1989-90. As such, the book is similar to Timothy Garton Ash's The Magic Lantern (CH, Feb'91) which treated revolutions in other East European countries at the same time. Both books give a sense of actually being on the spot during revolutionary times. Ratesh (Radio Free Europe's Washington correspondent) briefly describes the 1989 revolution, key events in the destruction of the Ceausescu regime, and the efforts of the successor Iliescu leadership to pick up the pieces in the immediate postrevolutionary situation. He depicts unique aspects of the Romanian revolution (e.g., the execution of the dictator) as well as the continuing presence of former Communists at the highest levels of government after December 1989 and explores perplexing questions (e.g., whether the revolution was mass-based or elite-led). The book is particularly helpful in sorting out the rivalries among various leaders as well as among key organizations such as the military and Securitate. An important resource for those beginning more formal studies of the Romanian revolution. Footnotes but no bibliography. Students at all levels and general readers.
  —Choice

• Endorsement From
  Roger Kirk
  
  
  Adjunct Professor
  
  
  Georgetown University
  
  
  Former U.S. Ambassador to Romania
  
  : Nestor Ratesh's volume is an engrossing, fast-moving, and well-researched account of the exciting days of the Romanian revolution, of what lay behind it, and of its aftermath. Ratesh probes the controversies as to whether this was a popular uprising, a Communist putsch, or a Soviet plot, and gives us his balanced conclusion. He ably describes the 'purgatory' through which Romania is now passing and offers valuable insights into the country's future.
• Endorsement From
  Michael Radu
  
  
  Resident Scholar
  
  
  Foreign Policy Research Institute (Philadelphia)
  : Ratesh has succeeded in the difficult task of bringing clarity and balance to the understanding of the often murky and emotional realities of the 1989 Romanian revolution. His facts are as abundant as they are reliable, and he seldom departs from them into the realm of speculation. Well written and structured, this book is clearly the best scholarly analysis of Eastern Europe's bloodiest anti-Communist uprising.

Table of Contents:

• Foreword
• Preface
• Summary
• The Foreseeable Revolution That Nobody Foresaw
• The Explosion
• The Bloody Aftermath
• Conspiracy, Conspiracies
• Purgatory
• Index