European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Development of Moscow s Empire what was once the soviet Union began As Muscovy a Small Feudal principality in the District around Moscow. Over five centuries of War and expansionism it grew far beyond ethnic Russia to include Many neighbouring nations. In the Wake of political upheaval ethnic strife and resurgent nationalism the soviet Union dissolve. The 15 republics have emerged As Independent states eleven of which have joined in a Loose Commonweal. Territorial expansion disc die of Independent from mongol control after 1480, muscovite armies began conquering or annexing surrounding territories one after another until they controlled All of Northern Asia and most of what is now european Russia. After 1613, the russian Empire under the Romanov czars turned West and South fighting with Sweden Poland and Prussia for the Baltic Region and with the British and ottoman turks for the Crimea Ukraine and the caucasus. Poland was repeatedly partitioned among Russia Prussia and Austria. 20th Century fluctuations h1914 01939 Russia by 1900, Russia had also expanded southward across the deserts of Central Asia inhabited by nomadic kazakhs turkmen and others. The territory later became the soviet republics of Kazakhstan Kirghizia Kadzhi Kristan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan nol shown. After the 1917 revolution Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia byelorussian and Ukraine temporarily broke away from Moscow s control and formed Independent states. They were quickly reabsorbed into the soviet Union the Baltic states also broke away and Moldavia was Given to Romania. All were retaken under Stalin a 1939 pact with Hitler at the outset of the second world War. Finland Independent since world War i lost some territory to the soviet Union in world War ii. Note modern Borders of european countries and former soviet republics Are shown on both maps for reference. Source the times Atlas of world history Apt. Dean Caple continued from Page 15 leninism Quot Only to be overthrown himself before Long Brezhnev was the sole heir and Khrushchev s Quot voluntarism Quot joined Stalin a Quot personality cult Quot among the heresies of  Brezhnev the soviet state passed visibly into dotage As he grew bloated and incoherent so did the state production fell while an uncontrolled military machine devoured Ever larger portions of the National product after 18 years in Power Brezhnev was succeeded by iwo other old and sick men Yuri v. Andropov and Konstantin u Chernenko and by the time Gorbachev took the Helm in 1985, it was obvious to All Thal the state was in Radical need of help. Gorbachev at 54 the youngest soviet Leader since Stalm electrified the land almost immediately with the introduction of Quot glasnost Quot or openness suddenly the people could talk and think freely taboos began to crumble East West hostilities evaporated and dissidents emerged irom labor Camps and exile. The Sweet perfume of Hope scented the air but Gorbachev s parallel attempts to Reform the Economy perished on the same Shoals As All previous reforms a the thick and privileged communist party Appart the More glasnost flourished the More it became evident that perestroika was foundering and everything Gorbachev did seemed to be too Little or too late. Floundering in the end he lurched first to the left ordering a Radical "500-day&Quot Reform plan in the summer of 1989, then to the right rejecting the plan and encircling himself with party stalwarts and letting them use Force Ihen Back to the left last Spring opening negotiations with the republics on a new Union treaty by then it was too late. The rejected right wingers tried to seize Power by Force in the August coup and with their defeat the republics had no More need for or Faith in Gorbachev or the remnants of his Union on dec. 8, the leaders of Russia Ukraine and byelorussian pulled the plug proclaiming a new a Commonwealth of Independent states and after that it was Only a question of time before the breathing slopped. The Union was dead. But the great eurasian entity on which it Ted remained very much alive a As Russia As a new Commonwealth of 11 republics As a culture and a worldview As a formidable nuclear Arsenal As a Broad Range of unresolved crises. Gorbachev had Given people a new Freedom but the soviet Union had also Given them something tangible a the Pride of superpower. Whatever their problems and shortages they had been one of the two arbiters of global destinies a nation that nobody could intimidate or bully now that was being taken away too and How the humiliation would play out especially in conditions of hunger and poverty was among the troubling questions for the future. Quot the parting with the Union of soviet socialist republics will be Long and difficult Quot Izvestia warned Quot we must acknowledge that Many will not believe or agree to the end of their Days with the death warrant written in Minsk and confirmed in Alma Ata. The idea of superpower has a Force equal to nationalism and in certain conditions it is also capable of uniting millions of fanatic supporters Quot readers action linearly says medication poses no threat l to writing with questions regarding the nerve agent pie treatment pills Napp taken by soldiers in the persian Gull prior to the Start of the ground War. No one seems to know much about these pills and i can t help incl wonder it the . Government has created another Quot agent Mange Quot situation of the future Sun e we know that unapproved partially tested Vaern Lions were approved Tor use on Soldier Quot Guinea pigs i would like to know if this was one of those products i would also like to know what Are the effects of Napp on lie human body ? How were those pills tested and what were the results of those fests7 do they have an Etheel on the reproductive system of those who took them ? i think this is an especially important question since in a few Short months the Quot desert storm 1 babies will begin to come into this world also is it documented that they took those pills in Case documentation might be needed in the future Patricia Riggs Friedberg Germany Virginia c. Stephanakis Public affairs officer office of the surgeon general department of the army rep Lea the drug the writer is referring to is  an Oral medication that has been approved for years by the Fra for treatment of mys Thema Gravis among other things. There is considerable evidence to believe it is useful in lessening the effects of certain chemical agents although it is not currently licensed Tor that purpose the doses Given to troops in Southwest Asia were significantly less than that recommended by the Fra and were Given Tor Only a Short period of time less than 10 percent of the soldiers in Southwest Asia Wei Given  doctors Are conf Donl that it is no safely risk Lor our soldiers and their families since the end of the deployment. Army Doc Lois haw1 carefully monitored soldiers and then families Tor any after effects of the Gulf conflict we ire especially concerned about the increase in the number of pregnancies and have followed them carefully. So far everything seems Fine. There is no increase in the rates of miscarriages among pregnant soldiers and wives of soldiers. There is no increase in problems with the babies although most of them Are not yet born. We Are confident they will be healthy More detailed information about the drug can be found in the physician s desk reference per which can be found in any Library or medical  write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort Quot striving to answer some of the questions about the overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes. Apo a 09211 All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking to Init on of general interest to our readers Page 16 a the stars and stripes saturday december 28, 1991