A Failed Empire: The Soviet Union In The Cold W... -

: He contends that Western historians often err by oversimplifying the Kremlin as either purely pragmatic or purely aggressive, failing to see the complex "aspirations, illusions, and fears" of the Soviet elite.

: Zubok argues that Soviet foreign policy was driven by a tension between "revolutionary" communist ideology and traditional Russian "imperial" interests. A Failed Empire: The Soviet Union in the Cold W...

: Zubok places significant responsibility for the Soviet collapse on Mikhail Gorbachev , arguing that his personal choices and idealism—rather than just U.S. pressure—inadvertently destroyed the state. : He contends that Western historians often err