New for the 2008 specifications this title covers material from the accession of Tsar Alexander II to the forced resignation of Nikita Khrushchev. With historical interpretations, document source questions, explanation of difficult words and concepts, a study skills section for exam preparation and visuals to support learning available online. Contents: Study and examination skills 1 Russia 1855--1964: A synoptic overview 2 The Tsarist autocracy, 1855--1894: the reigns of Alexander II and Alexander III 3 Russia under Nicholas II: The crisis of Tsarism, 1894--1914 4 The Russian Revolutions, 1914--1924 5 The USSR in the age of Stalin and Khrushchev, 1924--1964 Index