Under Stalin's Shadow: A Global History of Greek Communism

by Nikos Marantzidis

Under Stalin's Shadow examines the history of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) from 1918 to 1956, showing how closely national Communism was related to international developments. The history of the KKE reveals the role of Moscow in the various Communist parties of Southeastern Europe, as Nikos Marantzidis shows that Communism's international institutions (Moscow Center, Comintern, Balkan Communist Federation, Cominform, and sister parties in the Balkans) were not merely external factors influencing orientation and policy choices. Based on research from published and unpublished archival documents located in Greece, Russia, Eastern and Western Europe, and the Balkan countries, Under Stalin's Shadow traces the KKE movement's interactions with fraternal parties in neighboring states and with their acknowledged supreme mentors in Stalin's Soviet Russia. Marantzidis reveals how, because the boundaries between the national and international in the Communist world were not clearly drawn, international institutions, geopolitical soviet interests, and sister parties' strategies shaped in fundamental ways the KKE's leadership, its character and decision making as a party, and the way of life of its followers over the years.

Genres: History, Politics

294 pages, Hardcover

First published February 15, 2023

Reviews

[Anna Coopey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very intriguing book, lent to me by my supervisor, Henry, for an overview of the Greek Communist Party, or the KKE. The chapters on the Nazi Occupation ("Chapter Four - Greek Dilemmas") and the Civil War ("Chapter Five - Balkan Decisions") were the most useful for me, but I did note that they lacked much engagement (or, at least, extensive engagement) with the British interference, in favour of the later American interference. Obviously, this is a book on the KKE, so it can't be expected to delve too much into British interference, or as much as I would like it to. But ah well.

[Pinko Palest]

a very interesting aspect of 20th century Greece. The author had strayed a bit too far towards the right in some of his previous work, and here he starts swinging to the Left again. This is not a history from below though, nor does he try to get into the hearts and minds of the people of the time. Still, it is immensely readable and a significant contribution to the history of greek communism

[Kostas Sarlis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα εργασία. Το ερώτημα που μένει αναπάντητο, δηλαδή το κατά πόσο η πολιτική του ΚΚΕ ως προς την εσωτερική κατάσταση κατά την κατοχή και μετά, ήταν σκόπιμη και μελετημένη ή αποτέλεσμα ασυνεννοησίας και ελλιπούς πληροφόρησης από το κέντρο, μάλλον δεν μπορεί να απαντηθεί επαρκώς από κανέναν.

[Stratos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Μια εξαιρετική δουλειά του γνωστού ιστορικού και μελετητή της ελληνικής Αριστεράς που επιβάλλεται να διαβαστεί απ΄ όποιον ασχολείται με την σύγχρονη ελληνική ιστορία

[vasya · Rating 5 out of 5]

απίστευτο βιβλίο, οι 360 σελίδες φαίνονται σαν 150