Западнобелорусская деревня в 1939 – 1953 годах

Western Belarus Villages in 1939-1953 Monograph By Belozorovich Viktor The monograph focuses on western Belarus villages that experienced dramatic changes in the way of life. The research is free of ideological clichés that are normally heavily present in the modern official historiography. Belozorovich argues that crucial changes and turning points took a heavy toll on Belarusian villages in the period from 1939 to 1953. He divides the span into three periods defined in the monograph as "First Soviets," "The German Occupation" and "Second Soviets." Each period was marred by new misfortunes. First Soviets -- after western Belarus was annexed to the Soviet Union in 1939 and until the Nazi invasion in 1941 – was notorious for arrests, imprisonment, executions and deportation of potentially anti-Soviet elements to Siberia. During the Nazi occupation western Belarus villagers struggled to survive under tough conditions. After the war, the Soviet authorities dealt a final blow to the traditional way of life by severely suppressing protests against Soviet rule and forced collectivization. The author also explains effects of the changes on agriculture in Belarus.