ALONG THE VOLGA: RUSSIA'S EASTERN BARRIER

In: Asian affairs: journal of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs, Band 14, Heft 1, S. 45-53

Abstract

THE VOLGA RIVER, THE LONGEST IN EUROPE, IS VERY DEAR TO THE HEARTS OF THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE, WHO HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR AFFECTION FOR IT FOR CENTURIES IN NATIONAL SONGS AND FOLKLORE. THE NINE HUNDRED-MILE CRUISE ALONG THE VOLGA-DON RIVERS FROM KAZAN TO ROSTOV-ON-DON BRINGS THE TRAVELLER THROUGH THE HEART OF THESE VOLGA LANDS AND IS A PLEASANT AND HISTORICALLY EVOCATIVE EXPERIENCE. IT ALSO PROVIDES A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF A MAJOR INDUSTRIAL AREA OF THE SOVIET UNION TODAY. THE GENERALLY VAGUE NOTIONS PREVAILING IN WESTERN EUROPE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE TO RUSSIA OF THE VOLGA COULD NOT FAIL TO BE SHARPENED BY THE CONTACT, DIRECT EVEN IF SLIGHT, AFFORDED BY THIS CRUISE ALONG THE GREAT NATURAL BARRIER TO THE EAST OF WESTERN RUSSIA, CONTAINING THE HISTORIC TOWNS OF KAZAN, SIMBIRSK (NOW ULYANOVSK), SAMARA (KUYBYSHEV), SARATOV, TSARITSIN (STALINGRAD-VOLGOGRAD), ALL STRATEGICALLY PLACED ALONG THE BANKS OF THE VOLGA. THEY WERE ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED AS OUTPOSTS OF RUSSIAN POWER FOLLOWING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TATAR-MONGOLIAN KHANATES IN KAZAN AND ASTRAKHAN BY THE RUSSIANS IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. THUS THE MENACE TO MOSCOW FROM THE TATAR HORDES IN THE EAST WAS ELIMINATED AND THE FURTHER THRUST OF RUSSIAN DOMINION EASTWARDS TOWARDS THE KAZAKH STEPPES AND THE CENTRAL ASIAN KANATES WAS FACILITATED, LEADING EVENTUALLY TO THE FORMATION IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY OF THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN EMPIRE - WITHIN MUCH THE SAME FRONTIERS AS THE SOVIET UNION TODAY.