Imperial Dreams/ Harsh Realities: Tsarist Russian Foreign Policy, 1815-1917 by David MacKenzie
This succinct treatment of the formation and expansion of the Russian Empire is a perfect supplement to courses that cover the history of Russia and the USSR, as well as courses in modern European history. MacKenzie reveals how Russian statesmen's grandiose dreams of imperial glory proved abortive, and how the harsh realities of international politics and finance led to the collapse of the Russian Empire during World War I.