Chechnya: To the Heart of a Conflict

by Andrew Meier

Andrew's Meier riveting portrait of Chechnya, a land ravaged by indescribable carnage, enables us to understand the origins of this brutal conflict like no other recent work. The barbaric, terrorist siege in the summer of 2004 that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of innocent children in Beslan did not begin either there or in the take-over of a Moscow theatre in 2002. As Andrew Meier explains in this utterly compelling account, the most recent Chechen war actually broke out on New Year's Eve in 1994 when Boris Yeltsin sent hundreds of tanks to the center of the city of Grozny in an effort to quell popular demands for independence from Russia. Six years later, Meier, braving great personal danger, traveled to the scene of one of the largest civilian massacres carried out by Russian troops, reporting on the carnage in which over 60 Chechen civiliansincluding a pregnant woman and many elderlywere brutally slaughtered in one of the war's most horrific "mop-up" operations. Days after a Chechen woman became the conflict's first female suicide bomber, Meier visited this war-torn province, encountering, among others, kidnappers, Wahhabi Islamists aligned with the Taliban, and a stream of Russian mothers arriving at the morgue to identify their fallen soldier sons. Chechnya is Meier's stunning report from a region where the death toll has already exceeded 100,000 people, and a book that attempts to comprehend what compels men to shoot children in the back.

Genres: History, Russia, Nonfiction, Politics, War, Journalism

140 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2004

Reviews

[James Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently was a test subject in a clinical trial. All of the medical technicians running the trial were emigres. A Russian doctor who has been stateside for at least a decade informed me of what I needed to do post-trial, when to pick-up my check, and then left the testing room by saying, "That book you're holding is utter propaganda." Paradoxically, his statement seemed to counter itself by the mere fact of its existence. Very Caucasus-curious. Eye-opening account of the Russian oppression of the separatists in Chechnya, esp. in light of the Boston bombers, etc. Violent.

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit too short for my taste. The author did say from the start that he did not want to give to much history of the region, so I can't criticism him for nto doing that. Great book, but my heart cries out for more history!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

WEll written introduction to this conflict. A good place to start.

[David Naylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book was a little too short. The author could have explained more history in the region. Otherwise I really ‘enjoyed’ the author’s firsthand account getting to and reporting inside Chechnya. The author’s toughness and sense of importance has shown how brave and dangerous war reporting can be, especially in a place the world knows very little. This book is very informative to give the world a view inside a restricted area where Putin’s Russia tends to hide the true details of his countries war crimes. America can learn from these never ending wars & learn that certain areas of the world are consistently going to be at war due to history’s conquests and stealing of land and the lack of l government ultimately ends up a disaster- minorities are often persecuted and either massacred or displaced to refugee camps to be unwanted minorities starting the process all over again one territory away giving way to young children to be exposed to chaos and inhumane conditions. These conditions give way to an extremist belief system which only fuels Jen to become gorilla war fighters and terrorist as hey literally have nothing to loose.These children will rise up and continue to fight for their [now]extremist beliefs along with their cumulative hatred For the opposition (Russia). Since war is their only ‘solution’ they will continue to keep fighting. Unfortunately the only temporary solution is to have Russia give aid to the region in a truce which is very unlikely to happen as other provinces will follow in Chechnya’s footsteps (South and North Ossetia; Transnistria🌔👨🏽‍🎨😀😀😀

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, detailed book that explicates the Chechen-Russian conflict from the elaborate observations of an American journalist, who ventured throughout the North Caucasus in the mid- and late-1990s and detailed a diverse cast, both Chechen and Russian. The book is separated in small chapters, all of which jump throughout time to weave the entire text together. Obviously, it assumes pre-existing knowledge of the war, but Meier cites sources with added commentary and explains specific details in small snippets throughout the text when necessary. Meier illuminates his writing with keen characterizations, an understanding of the history of Russian-Chechen relations, a literary interest in Leo Tolstoy (who himself traveled to the northern steppes of Chechnya in the 1850s), and rich first hand interactions, all of which I really enjoyed as a reader. Meier is careful to be sympathetic but also pragmatic when writing about the motives, feelings, and experiences of the various people he included in the book, and I'd say he strikes a nice and much-needed balance here, especially in the midst of propaganda promulgated by Russians, radicalized Chechen rebels and their extremist leaders, and even the West in the post-9/11 era. Meier includes the voices of individual Chechens and Russians that he met and interviewed, imparting deeply personal, and I think necessary, perspectives. Throughout, he addresses the morality of war, terrorism, colonization, suppression, and atrocity, which really engaged me as a reader and left a lasting impression. This is definitely a favorite of mine.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 - a solid introduction to the Chechnya conflict and its horrors through the eyes of a journalist and as told to him by the variety of people he interviews. Relatively unbiased in that he generally just reports what people are saying without excessive commentary (remember when that was normal?). Worth the quick read.

[James West · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up at the airport. What a read. Sad how people treat each other.

[Len Boselovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture window into the Chechen wars told through the massacre of civilians in a small village outside Grozny. Meier, a journalist, sets the scene and tells the story very well.

[BookIT1981 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This illuminated Russian military policy - Chechnya in the 90s/00s was a mirror for Ukraine in the 20s.