Figure 1.--

Of course the greatest tragedy of the War for the Soviets was the incredible number of people killed. There was also incredible damage that ocurred to physical property. The Soviet Union destroyed factories that could not be evacuted to deny their use to the Germans. There was also ennormous damage done during the fighting. And then the NAZIs as they retreated destroyed as much as possible. A Russian reader tells us that the Soviet Union's rapid recovery occurred in part because of Stalin and the Communist regime. Here we are not at all sure. We note a very rapid recovery in other countries such as West Germany and Japan. I think our reader is correct that recovery was relatively rapid, but a factor that has to be taken in consideration is the the new industrial plants that were built produced low-quality products very inefficemtly. As a result, Russia today is left with industrial infrastructure that is inefficent and incompetitive in addition to the source of pollution which has resulted in major enviromental problems. Russia today with a well educated population and huge natural resources is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Its economy is essentially a third-world economy sustaimed by the export of petroleum and other natural resources.

Russian Comment

A Russian reader points out that Western Europe benefitted from American post-War reconstruction assistance such as the Marshal Plan.

Russian Text

В тексте Вы пишите: "There was also enormous damage in other countries, especially Germay. German industry was essentially destroyed. In fact West Germany recovered faster than the Soviet Union.and even more important, German built world-clss factories that made products that were in demand around the world." Да, я согласен, что в Западной Германии после войны произошло быстрое восстановление промышленности после окончания 2 мировой войны. Но Вы забываете сказать, что это быстрое восстановление было во многом обязано большой финансовой помощи со стороны других стран, в первую очередь со стороны США. Помните план Маршалла? Именно благодаря этой финансовой помощи стало возможным быстрое восстановление немецкой промышленности. А СССР после окончания 2 мировой войны никто не помогал и бывшие союзники в то время стали опять врагами - началась "холодная война", появились блоки НАТО и Варшавского договора. Причем первым появился блок НАТО и лишь после него был создан "Варшавский договор". Опять огромные средства едва оправившейся после войны страны были отвлечены не на нужды мирного строительства и развития общества, а на гонку вооружений. История сделала очередной виток. Западная Германия развивалась как союзник США и других западных стран с перспективой противостояния опять же СССР, вы не можете этого отрицать. Официальная пропаганда с обеих сторон "железного занавеса" хорошо делала свое дело. Наши люди считали вас врагами, вы считали врагами нас. Слава богу, что это противостояние закончилось и в будущем чтобы такого больше не было. Будем надеяться, что теперь мы на одной стороне на долгое время.

English Tramslation

. In the text you write, 'There was also enormous damage in other countries, especially Germay. German industry was essentially destroyed. In fact West Germany recovered faster than the Soviet Union.and even more important, German built world-clss factories that made products that were in demand around the world.' Yes, I agree, that in West Germany after war occurred the rapid restoration of industry after the end of 2 world wars. But you forget to say that this rapid restoration was in many respects obliged to great financial assistance from the side of other countries, first of all from the side OF THE USA. You do remember Marshall's plan? Specifically, because of this financial aid the rapid restoration of German industry became possible. But THE USSR after the end of 2 world wars no one helped and the former allies at that time of steel again by enemies - began the "Cold War", Nato Alliance and Warsaw Pact appeared. Moreover first appeared Nato Alliance and after it was only created the "Warsaw Pact". Again enormous means hardly the set right after war country were removed not for the needs of peaceful building and development of society, but to an armaments drive. History made a sequential turn. West Germany was developed as the ally OF THE USA and other western countries with the prospect for opposition, in addition TO THE USSR, you cannot deny this. Official propaganda from both sides of the "Iron Curtain" made well its matter. Our people considered you enemies, you considered us enemies. Glory to god, that this opposition ended also in the future so that this more not it would be. We will hope that now we on one side to the long period."

HBC Comment

Again because of the translation problem, I am not sure I fully understand our Russian reader's interesting comments, but I understood a good bit of it. Our Russian reader is correct, The United States did assist in the post-War recovery of West German and other European countries. Actually President Truman offered Marshal Plan aid to the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries as well, but Stalin rejected it. The United States no doubt would have insisted that Stalin allow democratic governments to be formed and not set up Communist police states as America did in Western Europe. Instead Stalin rejected American aid and set up Communist police states to viciously supress any disent. The Marshal plan was important in Western Europe, but I think it can be overstated. Another fctor is the free enterprise system or capitalism (a term not often used in America). I think you are certainly correct that the Cold War meant that the Soviet Union focused its resources primarily on the military. While I agree with this, I disagree with your next point. This concentration on the military explains why consumer goods were scarece, but it does not explain why the consumer goods produced were of such poor quality and why Russian industry today is so uncompetive. This I think is primarily because of Communist economics/central planning. Perhaps there is another reason, but with an educated population and vast resources I fail to see why Russia is not producung manufactured goods that can be sold in world markets like Western Europe or now even Eastern Europe (Poland and Czechoslovakia). I certainly agree with our Russian reader's hopes for the future. America and Russia I think have no major conflicts over territory or other critical natural resources. My concern, however, is that President Putin is taking Russia down a path very different from that of Western Europe and now Eastern Europe. Here I don't mean to say America, but the Western world in general.

Created: August 27, 2005
Last updated: August 27, 2005