Russia's Iron Age

Frederick Lewis Schuman was a historian, an American political scientist and international relations scholar. He was a professor of history at Williams College, an analyst of international relations, and social scientist, focusing on the period between World War I and World War II.



If wisdom regarding Russia were proportionate to the staggering number of books, monographs, and articles on Soviet affairs published since 1917 in English, French, and German, all literate citizens and statesmen throughout the Atlantic communities would be wise indeed. All seekers after truth are deeply indebted to these many laborers in the vineyards of Russian studies. Without their toil no such task as is here attempted could be contemplated.



The assumption behind this book is that peace is desirable, necessary, and possible between the halves (or thirds) of a divided world, lest more war bring us all to ruin. The soundness of the assumption can be tested only by the validity of the analysis of things past here essayed and by the shape of things to come. If the assumption proves wrong, nothing much matters. If it proves right, then promising vistas loom before us in the way of creative competition—not in the techniques of death, but in the arts of life. It is my hope that this book of record and evaluation may contribute to the constructive use of the opportunities of tomorrow.