Great Patriotic War: Russian Sensitivity


Figure 1.--The Russian reverence toward the men and women who fought the NAIs is profound. This is a cremomy at a World War II memorial at the Young Pioneer Camp at Orlyonok about 1975. Ceremonies like this took place throughout the Soviet Union. I believe they still take place in modern Russia, but less commonly.

The Great Patriotic War is an extremely sensitive issue in Russia for several reasons. The men and women who fought the war against the NAZIs are revered in Russia today and rightly so. Among older Russians it is proabably the cost of the War in terms of casualties and destruction. The Soviet people suffered unimaginable suffering during the War and made great sacrifices. Few families wee unscarred by the War. As a result, any criticism of the Soviet is suspect and among many an outrage. With younger people is is more of a nationalistic matter. They were brought up in the Soviet era to unquestionaly applaud Soviet conduct. The Russian people have since the fall of the Soviet Union learned about the crimes of Stalin and the mismanagement of subsequent leaders. Along with the much declined power of the Russian state, Russiand have learned that their country for the entire Soviet era had little to be proud about. Rather the Soviet era is a depressing litany of crimes, abuses and mismanagement. The simple fact is that Stalin killed more Russians and other Soviet citizens than Hitler and the NAZIs. He also was responsible for terrible crimes in Eastern Europe. Even Soviet conduct in World War II is highly questionable, although this had not been widely discussed in Russia, especially in the schools because of the sensitivity of the issue in Russia, While President Putin claims that the disollution of the Soviet Union was the greatest geo-political catastrophe of the 20th century, in fact the principal positive achievement of the 20th century was the defeat of NAZI Germany and even this is tarnished by Stalin's partnership with Hitler in launching the War.

National Article of Faith

The Great Patriotic War is an extremely sensitive issue in Russia for several reasons. The men and women who fought the war against the NAZIs are revered in Russia today and rightly so. Among older Russians it is proabably the cost of the War in terms of casualties and destruction. The Soviet people suffered unimaginable suffering during the War and made great sacrifices. Few families wee unscarred by the War. The contribution of the Soviet people in the Allied victory can not be over stated. It is difficult to see how the Allies could have prevailed in the West, short of the use of the atomic bomb, had the Wehrmacht not been esentialy destroyed in the East. We want to make it clear that while we have great reservations about Stalin and Soviet World War II policies, we have nothing but admiration for the Soviet people and the role they played in winning the War. Americans and Europeans as well as the rest of the World has to be for ever grateful for the incredible sacrifice of the Soviet people. It is impossible to know what would have ocuured if the Western llies would have had to confront the Germans without our Soviet allies.

Great Patriotic War Rememberance Day (May 9)

An important holiday in Russia is Great Patriotic War Rememberance Day (May 9). The date of course is VE Day, a day later than in the West because there was a second NAZI surrender, The Germans surrendered to the Russia a day after they surrendered to the Western Allies. A HBC reader visiting Russian provides a description of the celebration in 20009. "There is a great celebration and Rememberance on Saturday May 9. Russians honor the sacrifice and bravery of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. There was a parade inn Moscow across Red Square. In Victory Park where I was there was a great gathering. War veterans came. There was a outdoor musical concert. The music was by Russian composers. Hundreds listened. Children and adults gave war veterans flowers. This was a very touching to observe. The children spoke to the old soldiers. One little boy did not have flowers so he gave a Veteran his chocolate bar. It was a very interesting afternoon being with Russians celebrating this occasion. In the evening there was a firework display. I noticed the Soviet rather than the Russian flag."

Reaction to Criticism

As the Greatic Patriotic War is a central article of faith in Russia today, any criticism of the Soviet is suspect and among many an outrage. Russians are outraged when they are confronted with Soviet war crimes in Poland, the Baltics, and Romania while Stalin was Allied with Hitler. Their reaction is to deny them and then question the motives of the people who bring them up. They also resent regerences to incidents during the War such as the deportations are rapes of women, especially in Berlin and other areas of Germany. Or the supression of democratic elements in Eastern Europe during the occupation following the War. With younger people is is more of a nationalistic matter. They were brought up in the Soviet era to unquestionaly applaud Soviet conduct. There is nothing in the Soviet Union similar to that in America and Britain. The British today debate the strategic bombing camoaign. The Americans also debate the strategic bombing camoaign as well as the atomic bomb, the segregated military, and the internment of the Japanese.

Russian Histrography

In assessing the Great Patriotic War we see no important histories of the War emerging from Russia. There have been books published, but they are more patriotic presentations than real history meeting Western academic standards. Soviet archives were closed to scholars, especially Western scholars. Some archives were briefly opened under restricted conditions to Westrn scholars during Russia's democratic experiment. Soviet historians have not dared to deal with the Great Patriotic War presenting the full story, especially Stalin's collusion with Hitler. We do not know of scholoarly Soviet histories of the War, but of course would be very interested in any suggestions our Russian readers may offer.

Free Press

The Russian people have since the fall of the Soviet Union learned about the crimes of Stalin and the mismanagement of subsequent leaders. Along with the much declined power of the Russian state, Russiand have learned that their country for the entire Soviet era had little to be proud about. Rather the Soviet era is a depressing litany of crimes, abuses and mismanagement. The simple fact is that Stalin killed more Russians and other Soviet citizens than Hitler and the NAZIs. He also was responsible for terrible crimes in Eastern Europe. Now Putin hs brought the Soviet press back under state control. It is unclear how the information revealed has filtered through Russian society. Many Russians associate the difficult economic conditions following the disolution of the Soviet Union with democracy abd capitalism and this has affected their view of the Soviet era, even the crimes and attrocities of Stalin. expe

Soviet Conduct of World War II

While Stalin's crimes have been discussed in modern Russia, that discussion usually does not include crimes and attrocities committed during World War II. The Great Patriotic War is so sancroscant in the eyes of so many Russians that any criticism of Soviet cobduct is not only rejected, but often considered an insult to the nation. And of course there is a great deal to criticise. It was Stalin's decession to agree to the NAZI-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact made World War II possible (August 1939). Stalin conducted a series of Soviet aggressions comparabke to the better publicized aggressions conducted by NAZI Germany (1939-41). And it should not be thought that these were mere territorial acquisitionsd. Soviet conduct in Poland and the other occupied countries was only margially less barabaric than NAII conduct. There are also questions about Soviet conduct after the NAZI invasion (June 1941). Stalin failed to credit the many warnings of NAZI preparatons for the invasion. His purges decimated the Siviet military. After the invasion he constantly interfered with military commanders and was persinally respinsible for a series of military fiascos. During the War there was a series of terrible actions against different Soviet populations. The action against the Chechans is the besr known. These and other actions have not been widely discussed in Russia, especially in the schools because of the sensitivity of the issue in Russia, While President Putin claims that the disollution of the Soviet Union was the greatest geo-political catastrophe of the 20th century, in fact the principal positive achievement of the 20th century was the defeat of NAZI Germany and even this is tarnished by Stalin's partnership with Hitler in launching the War.






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Created: 5:28 PM 9/29/2005
Last updated: 7:40 AM 5/12/2009