October Revolution to 1921

This is from the Russian Revolution in Colour documentary which is a little over dramatised however it's ok if you take it with a pinch of salt and combine it with a study of reputable books. I think its' quite good on the Civil War era and Kronstadt Uprising of 1921. It also has Prof. Chris Read and a host of other good historian's speaking in it.

Free! Excellent History Lectures from university professors

Presentation is a little odd but content is very good. Highly recommended.

Modern Russia

Russia, Germany & The Alliance System [2] Alistair Kocho-Williams

The 1905 Russian Revolution [2] Ian Thatcher

The First World War: The Entente Powers [2] John Gooch

Russia & The First World War [2] Sarah Badcock

The Russian Agrarian Crisis? [2] Sarah Badcock

The 1917 Russian Revolutions [2] Sarah Badcock

Interview with Professor Sheila Fitzpatrick [4] Sheila Fitzpatrick & James Harris

Lenin & The Russian Revolution [2] Ian Thatcher

The Russian Provisional Government, 1917 [2] Ian Thatcher

The Bolshevik State: 1917-1924 [2] Ian Thatcher

Trotsky & The Bolsheviks 1917-1924 [3] Ian Thatcher

Stalin’s Rise to Power [2] James Harris

Stalin’s Russia: Society & Culture [2] Ian Thatcher

Stalin and the economic transformation of the USSR [3] James Harris

Russia and The Great Terror [2] Arch Getty

J. Arch Getty Interview [4] Arch Getty and James Harris

Stalin’s Foreign Policy: 1928-1941 [2] Alistair Kocho-Williams

Russian Civil War Overview

Lenin's first meeting with Trotsky caught on camera?

Fall of Eagles was a 1970s British TV drama about the fall of the Romanov, Habsburg and Hohenzollern monarchies in 1917. If only today's historical TV drama were so well researched, scripted and acted. Fall of Eagles, for all its faults has got to be preferable to the laughable dialogue, unrealistically chummy class relations and upper-class nostalgia of Downton Abbey. Don't get me started on Downton.

Anyway, here is a clip depicting the first meeting of Lenin and Trotsky. Yes, it's dated and over-theatrical and not necessarily accurate, but it rings true given the recorded debates and disputes between the men later on (Lenin - Bolshevik and Trotsky - Menshevik).  It's also got that chap from X Men and that one from Foyle's War in it. I like the way one can see the fanaticism and vanity in these characters that would later take both men to revolution and horrific crimes against humanity all in the name of perfecting society.