Imaging actually welcoming invading nazis in your country? That is what centralized, communist systems do to its citizens.

[shockedcanadian]

In my life long education of history, in particular spycraft, WWII etc, I was surprised to learn that when Germany invaded Russia there was actually great support from citizens within the country for the invading army (huh?).

This was unfathomable to me and the first I had really learned of this (I am constant learner, my brain craves new information like an addict seeks their next fix). There is was, in writing and on video through a British documentary, lines and lines of Russian citizens cheering on the Germans as they rolled in with tanks. This was corroborated by numerous sources. Ditto for East Berlin of course when they were re-united with the West but that wasn't precluded by an invading army.

This wasn't propaganda on behalf of the German military as they had no use for the Russians and many despised them as "sub human". Surely, many of these same cheering citizens would have met a horrible fate had Russia lost the war. The treatment of the million captured Russian soldiers is an indication of what lied ahead for them.

The reality is that Russians despised the treatment they experienced at the hands of Stalin. They despised the confiscation of their wealth, their meager earnings from their farms, the fears they lived with if they were even related to the intellectual class.

What is old is new again. Do NOT embrace communism or central control, it destroys the soul and patriotism of citizens.

 

[mudwhistle]

In my life long education of history, in particular spycraft, WWII etc, I was surprised to learn that when Germany invaded Russia there was actually great support from citizens within the country for the invading army (huh?).

This was unfathomable to me and the first I had really learned of this (I am constant learner, my brain craves new information like an addict seeks their next fix). There is was, in writing and on video through a British documentary, lines and lines of Russian citizens cheering on the Germans as they rolled in with tanks. This was corroborated by numerous sources. Ditto for East Berlin when they were re-united with the West.

This wasn't propaganda on behalf of the German military as they had no use for the Russians and many despised them as "sub human". Surely, many of these same cheering citizens would have met a horrible fate had Russia lost the war. The treatment of the million captured Russian soldiers is an indication of what lied ahead for them.

The reality is that Russians despised the treatment they experienced at the hands of Stalin. They despised the confiscation of their wealth, their meager earnings from their farms, the fears they lived with if they were even related to the intellectual class.

What is old is new again. Do NOT embrace communism or central control, it destroys the soul and patriotism of citizens.

Sounds like Ukraine to me.

 

[shockedcanadian]

Sounds like Ukraine to me.

Not in the slightest, outside of some former Russian region in which most speak Russian, have Russian family members etc. Perhaps they welcomed this, but they would be in the vast minority nation-wide. Ukranians know the history of Russias abuse of their citizens, in particular, though not relegated to Stalins reign. Their hatred for Russia is palpable there.

They was no commonality between Germany and Russia. The nexus for this celebration was the fact that these citizens were living under communist rule by a tyrant.

 

[1srelluc]

 

[surada]

Sounds like Ukraine to me.

We guaranteed Ukraine's security if they gave up their nukes.

 

[surada]

Ukraine had no nuclear weapons program and would have struggled to replace nuclear weapons once their service life expired. Instead, by agreeing to give up the nuclear weapons, Ukraine received financial compensations and the security assurances of the Budapest Memorandum.