War is stitched into the very fabric of Russia. Since the thirteenth century, Moscow has served as a battlefield in nearly every century, battling enemies from Mongols to Nazis. In his new book, Russia: The Story of War, Gregory Carleton MN ’87 explores the way frequent war has influenced the worldview of the Russian people:

Yet war has had its deepest impact on how Russia sees itself in the world. Here the quantitative factor of saturation leads to a qualitative one, arming it with the impression that its experience of war is unique. Other nations fight, die, attack, and defend, but no other, runs this belief, has faced such a persistent wave of challenges and threats for century upon century. This perceived distinction is so great that it serves as the foundation for a Russian myth of exceptionalism.

The book “provides a fascinating cultural history,” says the New York Journal of Books, and lends an interesting context for the current role Russia plays on the world stage. Dr. Carleton is a professor and department chair at Tufts University.

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