Summary of Tim Marshall's Prisoners of Geography

Everest Media

Description

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.
Sample Book Insights:
#1 Russia is vast, and its leaders must consider the implications of its vast size. The North European Plain running from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Carpathian Mountains in the south is only 300 miles wide, but it stretches from western France to northern Germany.
#2 The Russian Far East is protected by geography. It is difficult to move an army from Asia up into Asian Russia, and you would only get as far as the Urals. The Russians have watched anxiously as NATO has crept steadily closer to Russia, incorporating countries that Russia claims were not supposed to be joining.
#3 Russia as a concept dates back to the ninth century, when a federation of East Slavic tribes known as Kievan Rus’ was based in Kiev and other towns along the Dnieper River in what is now Ukraine. The Mongols, expanding their empire, constantly attacked the region from the south and east.
#4
Russia is the largest country in the world, twice the size of the USA or China, five times the size of India, and twenty-five times the size of the UK. However, it has a relatively small population of about 144 million.

Sujets

• Historical geography
• Géographie
• Géographie
• Géographie
• Géographie

Informations

• Publié par: Everest Media LLC
• Date de parution: 24 mars 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781669359630
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Insights on Tim Marshall's Prisoners of Geography
Contents Insights from Chapter 1 Insights from Chapter 2 Insights from Chapter 3 Insights from Chapter 4 Insights from Chapter 5 Insights from Chapter 6 Insights from Chapter 7 Insights from Chapter 8 Insights from Chapter 9 Insights from Chapter 10
Insights from Chapter 1

#1

Russia is vast, and its leaders must consider the implications of its vast size. The North European Plain running from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Carpathian Mountains in the south is only 300 miles wide, but it stretches from western France to northern Germany.

#2

The Russian Far East is protected by geography. It is difficult to move an army from Asia up into Asian Russia, and you would only get as far as the Urals. The Russians have watched anxiously as NATO has crept steadily closer to Russia, incorporating countries that Russia claims were not supposed to be joining.

#3

Russia as a concept dates back to the ninth century, when a federation of East Slavic tribes known as Kievan Rus’ was based in Kiev and other towns along the Dnieper River in what is now Ukraine. The Mongols, expanding their empire, constantly attacked the region from the south and east.

#4

Russia is the largest country in the world, twice the size of the USA or China, five times the size of India, and twenty-five times the size of the UK. However, it has a relatively small population of about 144 million.

#5

Russia is not an Asian power for many reasons. It lacks the manpower and supply lines to project power southward into modern Mongolia or China. China may eventually control parts of Siberia, but this would be through Russia’s declining birth rate and Chinese immigration moving north.

#6

Russia’s Achilles heel has always been its lack of a warm-water port with direct access to the oceans. It is at a geographical disadvantage, saved from being a much weaker power only because of its oil and gas.

#7

The pro-Russian government in Ukraine was trying to play both sides, flirting with the West but paying homage to Russia. When he came close to signing a trade agreement with the EU, Putin began turning the screw on him.

#8

The Russian navy cannot get out of the Baltic Sea, due to the Skagerrak Strait connecting to the North Sea. The narrow strait is controlled by NATO members Denmark and Norway. The fleet will still not be strong enough to break out of the Black Sea during wartime, but its capacity is increasing.

#9

The geographic hand that Russia was dealt meant that it was impossible for the country to avoid losing Crimea. The country could not cope with losing Crimea, the West could. The EU imposed limited sanctions on Russia because several European countries are reliant on Russian energy to heat their homes in winter.

#10

The annexation of Crimea showed how Russia is prepared for military action to defend what it sees as its interests in what it calls its near abroad. Russia has not finished with Ukraine yet, and may push its power in Georgia further if it feels threatened.

#11

Russia already controls part of Moldova, called Transnistria, and would like to control the entire country. Moldova is a weak link in Russia’s defense, since it can be crossed through by Russia, and would provoke sanctions against Moscow at a level hitherto unseen.

#12

Russia has many troops stationed in Transnistria, a breakaway republic in Moldova, and it uses this power to its advantage. The better your relations with Russia, the less you pay for energy.