The collapse of the Soviet Empire
Subtitle: a view from Riga
By: George J. Neimanis.
Publisher: Praeger
Published: 1997
Place of publication: Westport, Conn
Language: eng
Number of pages: 153
Subjects: Soviet Union -- Politics and government -- 1985-1991.; Russia (Federation) -- Politics and government -- 1991-; Soviet Union -- Economic conditions -- 1985-1991.; Latvia -- Politics and government -- 1991-
Description: An American academic describes the breakup of the Soviet Union and the formation of an independent Latvia from the vantage point of Riga, where he was acting as an advisor to the Latvian Parliament and was a visiting faculty member at the time of the events.

This description is unusual for several reasons - the author was based in Riga rather than Moscow or Leningrad, where most reporters lived, the work was written by someone who had access to the government, and the author was able to understand the local press and people. Background material on the Baltic countries and their relationship to the USSR is discussed.

The work will interest those who want to learn what really happened during the breakdown of the USSR and those who need to deal with the changes that continue to occur in the successor states.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [147]-149) and index.