By the mid-1980’s, the Soviets were struggling in Afghanistan.  Troops were no longer deployed outside of urban

areas, which left the Afghan countryside to the control of the West- and foreign-funded militants.  These militants would end up fighting each other after the Soviets eventually withdrew from Afghanistan, they managed to band together and fight the Soviets.  At first, the Soviets recruited locals to fight the militants, but that quickly failed when the locals refused to shoot their countrymen (von Geldern).

However, the biggest issue was the news coverage of the failing Soviet campaign.  The news was eager to show images and tell stories of the Soviet Army, both the rare successes and common failures, which greatly hurt the public’s support of the Soviet’s involvement in Afghanistan (von Geldern).

Here you can find a CNN documentary on the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

Eventually, the strain got to be too much, and the Soviets were forced to withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989 (von Geldern).  In all, the Soviets lost 13,310 soldiers, 35,478 were wounded, and 311 soldiers were missing (Taubman).

Works Cited

Taubman, Philip. “Soviet Lists Afghan War Toll: 13,310 Dead, 35,478 Wounded.” The New York Times 26 May 1988. The New York Times. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/26/world/soviet-lists-afghan-war-toll-13310-dead-35478-wounded.html.

Source Essay by James von Geldern “The Afghans” from Seventeen Moments in Soviet History.  URL: http://soviethistory.macalester.edu/index.php?page=subject&SubjectID=1985afghans&Year=1985

Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvVCnZhNeNc

26 April 1986- The Number 4 reactor in the Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine explodes after a power surge, releasing tons (figuratively, not literally) of radiative dust and radiation into the air.  38 people were killed as a result of the explosion, and an estimated 100,000 more were killed or suffered sever health degeneration in the years following the accident as a direct result of the released radiation.  More than 40,000 people were evacuated from Pripyiat, a nearby town, which led to haunting images, like this abandoned amusement park (Siegelbaum):

Here you can watch a video tour of the city, showing the radiation levels still present throughout the city, including the two above photos (video was published in 2012).

Despite the inherent perceived danger of being near the Chernobyl plant, the radiation has begun to fade, and some areas are now safe to live in again.  A new reactor housing is being built and is scheduled to be moved into place to cover the Number 4 reactor and the hastily build covering from 1986.  There are plans to reopen thousands of residences in hundreds of villages within the next decade or so, and in 2011 the radiation levels were declared low enough to make Chernobyl a tourist attraction (“Chernobyl Accident 1986”).

Works Cited:

“Chernobyl Accident 1986.” World Nuclear Organization, Dec. 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/.

Source Essay “Meltdown in Chernobyl: The Chernobyl Nuclear Accident” by Lewis Siegelbaum from Seventeen Moments in Soviet History. URL: http://soviethistory.macalester.edu/index.php?page=subject&SubjectID=1985chernobyl&Year=1985.

Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aptV35As8jY

Christmas Day, 1979.  As per the request of the acting government (the prior Afghan president had been assassinated at this point and replaced by a Soviet-friendly one named Babrak Karmal), the Soviet Army crosses the border into Afghanistan (Source Essay: “The Invasion of Afghanistan” by James von Geldern).

In a speech to the Russian people via radio, Karmal tells the people about the invasion, saying that the prior president, Hafizullah Amin, was a proprietor of mass murder and torture, and that he was an American CIA agent, and therefore was executed.  He then says that the Soviet Union will always try to uphold the ideals of democracy and independence, and will free Amin’s political prisoners, abolish all of his oppressive and inhumane laws, respect Islam and the practices of its followers, and among other things, assistance provided to the Afghan schools (“SPEECH BY BABRUK KARMAL”).

What I find most interesting is the imperialistic attitude that the Russians had even into the late 20th century.  Great Britain had acquired colonies like India and Australia hundreds of years prior, and by the time the 1970’s came, they had moved on from that imperialistic attitude.  I noticed that Karmal used promises that made it sound like they had invaded for holistic and humanitarian reasons, which would serve only to justify the invasion to the public, much like the United States did when we went into Iraq (come for the weapons of mass destruction, stay for the people).  I also find it interesting that Karmal would even go as far to say that Amin was an American CIA agent, which was likely just a bit of propaganda he threw out to justify the invasion to the people of Russia and to further deepen people’s distaste of Americans, since this speech came at an ever critical time in the Cold War, with tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union coming to boil.

Sources:

“SPEECH BY BABRAK KARMAL.”  The Current Digest of the Russian Press,  No. 52,  Vol.31, January  23, 1980, page(s): 4-5. Minneapolis, USA.  http://dlib.eastview.com/browse/doc/13629303

The Strugatsky Brothers were an author duo which rose to fame during the 1960’s as science fiction writers.  Their books initially were lauding the way of Soviet thought, they later very quietly spoke of the downfalls of Soviet society.  For example, Noon: 22nd Century, published in 1962, praised the science that was commonly attributed to the way of Soviet thought.  However, by 1972, with the publication of Roadside Picnic, they had shifted to social criticism.  The book spoke of a strange Canadian land in which a strange artifact was f0und, but no one bothered to check and see where it

came from.  This sense of apathy and acceptance was critical of the Soviet intrepidity and sense of duty.  They became hugely popular in the Soviet Union, which made public officials uneasy, especially with the continued publication of works that were critical of Soviet society (Source Essay “Strugatsky Brothers” by James von Geldern).  In fact, one author even believes that the Strugatsky brothers were espousing a kind of “people’s capitalism,” which was certainly a major change from the communist/socialist society they lived in at the time (Federovich 20).

I find it interesting just how influential literature can be in society, especially during times of revolution and change.  Since Stalin was long dead, the Strugatsky brothers were free to write what they wished, with very little fear of “disappearing.”  Public officials could do little but sit and hope that the public did not try to revolt and establish the aforementioned “people’s capitalism” in the government.  This is not the only time that literature has influenced society, however.  Thousands of anti-British leaflets were printed in the years preceding the American Revolutionary War, the adventures and life of a slave in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” brought many of the unknown horrors of slavery to light in the time around the American Civil War.  I find it interesting to see how literature has influenced society in other countries as well, instead of always focusing on the United States.

Information Sources:

Fedorovich, M.  “NOT ONLY ENTERTAINING READING.” The Current Digest of the Russian Press, No. 6, Vol. 18, March 02, 1966, page 20.  Minneapolis, USA.  Accessed 2 November 2014.

Source Essay “Strugatsky Brothers” by James von Geldern

“The Thaw,” written by Il’ia Ehrenburg in 1954, is a novel which follows the lives of three different types of Soviet men, including the stark contrast of the life of an industrial manager and an artist.  What makes “The Thaw” so special is that Ehrenburg intentionally breaks from the Stalinist belief that communism was the best form of government for a country and that Communists were the best, most important members of society (“The Thaw”).

Life was getting better, for alcohol was now becoming more available after Stalin’s death (Vrobyev).  The Thaw turned out to be one of the most important things that happened to Russia in the post-Stalin era. Prisoners were released from the Gulag work camps, festivals were held, works by foreign authors were allowed into the country, international trade opened up again, and the Soviet Union began competing in international competitions under Nikita Kruschev’s rule (“Kruschev Thaw”).

As we all know, the new openness to international competition the Soviets were enjoying inevitably led them to the Olympics, leading to one of the most iconic and well known moments in all of sports, when the United States faced off against the Soviet Union in ice hockey.  See the final minute here.

However, it was not all good during the post-Stalin reforms.  Kruschev had to deal with two revolts and attempts to remove

him from power.  Despite all this, Kruschev managed to open the Soviet Union’s borders and made it much more globally involved.  There was an American magazine distributed in the USSR, and a Soviet magazine was distributed in the United States.  He lessened media censorship, allowing works by foreign and banned authors back into the country.  Music experienced its own little renaissance and resurgence.  Perhaps most importantly, Kruschev’s efforts to restore the Soviet Union to a nation of pride and unity, instead of one ruled with an iron fist, provided a slight cessation of tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, and delayed the Cold War.  Kruschev even went and visited Camp David (the President’s “vacation home”) in 1959 (“Kruschev’s Thaw”).

After Stalin’s death, life got significantly better under Kruschev’s rule, thanks in no small part to his numerous reforms and attempts to ease tensions with the United States.  Kruschev can arguably be considered the most American-friendly leader the Soviet Union/Russia has ever had.

Works Cited:

“Khrushchev Thaw.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Oct. 2014. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.

Subject Essay “The Thaw” by James von Geldern, pulled from 17 Moments in Russian History.  Source URL: http://soviethistory.macalester.edu/index.php?page=subject&SubjectID=1954thaw&Year=1954

Youtube Video “Final Minute of the ‘Miracle on Ice.'” Published 5 February 2010.  Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYscemhnf88

For a long time, the Russians viewed Germans and the Slavic minorities in their country as an issue, especially during World War II.  However, this enmity towards the Germans always existed, Stalin just used the war as an excuse to “cleanse” Russia of the perceived filth, claiming that the Germans had infiltrated Russia with spies.  In fact, the only thing that the Russian Germans and the Nazi Germans shared was a language and heritage.  In just three months at the ned of 1941, Stalin forced almost 800,00 Germans into “areas of internal exile called special settlements.”  Many of these settlements hardly provided the Germans with enough to live even at the most squalid levels.  In 1942, the Germans were forced into labor battalions and made to work with Gulag prisoners.  Tens of thousands died as a direct result of this forced labor.  Even after the end of the war, the displaced population was not allowed to return to their homes (Pohl 1-4)

This is very similar to how the Germans treated the Jews, gays, gypsies, and political prisoners.  They also forcibly removed them from their homes, forced them into labor camps, starved and mistreated them, and sometimes killed them outright.

For example, this:

Is eerily similar to this:

I find it interesting that despite all the hatred that existed between the Germans and the Russians, that they both employed similar means of dealing with the xenophobia that ran rampant in the years leading up to, during, and after World War II.

Information Pulled from:

Pohl, J. Otto. The Deportation and Destruction of the German Minority in the USSR. 2001. 1-4. Print.

This was just one of many hundreds of images that were published during the anti-religious push that occurred while the Bolsheviks were attempting to rebuild Russian society.

The Bolsheviks knew that if their revolution was to be successful, society had to unify into one, cohesive whole.  Therefore, the Party created organizations such as the Komsomol (geared towards children) to reorganize and re-educate people on the new societal norms (Freeze 330).

One of the most prominent things in the way of this total unification of society the Bolsheviks wanted was religion.  Religion allowed people to put their faith and trust in a higher power (specifically, something that wasn’t the central government), and therefore had to go.

One of the first steps they took was legalizing divorce.  Under tsarism, divorce was almost impossible as a result of the combination of both secular and church law.  However, in 1918, divorce was made legal, and the process streamlined, which directly attacked the church’s power over the people and caused the Soviet divorce rate in cities to be the highest in the world by 1930 (Freeze 331 and 333).

Also in 1918 came the separation of Church and State, along with the confiscation of Church property without compensation.  These churches then fell victim to roving militants, who eagerly dismantled and destroyed them (Freeze 335).

Another contributing factor was the Marxist idea that only what could be seen could be considered reality, which meant religion was simply superstition, and therefore had no place in a progressive Russian society.  It served only as a distraction and a hindrance (Freeze 335).

However, the State’s attack on the Church eventually eased a bit, for the Bolsheviks knew that if they continued it would only serve to alienate the peasants, which would make their revolution impossible.  Therefore, the State began advocating against religion “only through agitation and education,” instead of passing laws against it (Freeze 335).

It was obvious that the Bolsheviks felt that religion had no place in the society they were trying to build.  It served only as a distraction from work and gave the people someplace other than the central government to put their faith and trust.  If the Bolsheviks’ revolution was to be successful, they needed complete and total compliance from all of society, which meant there was no room for any distractions, no room for any other source of influence.  They did all they could to eliminate revolution and yet still win over the public, and their efforts eventually culminated in a revolution that can be considered one of the most successful in world history.

Works Cited

Photo Credits (in order as they appear in the post):

1. Bezbozhnik u stanka. Moscow: M.K.R.K.P.. 1923.

2. Grigori Chudakov, Olga Suslova, and Lilya Ukhtomskaya, eds.: Pioneers of Soviet photography. New York: Thames and Hudson. 1983.

Print Sources:

Freeze, Gregory L. Russia: A History. New York: Oxford University         Press, Inc., 2009. Print.

The serfs were Russia’s primary agricultural laborers up to the mid-19th century.  However, Russia’s defeat in the Crimean War brought to light the need for societal reform, and the issue of serfs was a hotbed of political debate.  The reformists wanted serfs to be liberated (although to what extent was also debated at length), while others wanted to keep the serfs in their position of servitude.  In the end however, the Reformists were victorious, and the serfs were liberated.  It took several tries to figure out what new freedoms the serfs had.  The societal elite eventually settled on what was called the “Nazimov Rescript,” which stated that the landlords still owned both the land and the serfs, but the serfs had the ability to buy their own land and create their own provisions for self governance within their social class.  However, the rest of the elite despised this decision, and called for yet another reform.  This time, the serfs “got the short end of the stick.”  For an additional two years after the serfs were emancipated, they had to continue living as they had before while the bureaucracy finalized the terms of their emancipation , and after that two year period would be given land and forced to pay the government back for any land they owned prior to their emancipation (which they were not allowed to keep instead of the government issued land).  The emancipation of the serfs also inspired a slew of other societal reforms, aimed at bettering the lives of the average person.  Local governments gained more control and assumed responsibility for the maintenance of their respective domains.  Hospitals and roads were built and fixed, as were prisons and bridges (i.e. general infrastructure items).  Education was reformed and schooling now included an elementary school level.  The military received a total refitting, in order to avoid another defeat (they were still reeling from their loss during the Crimean War) (Freeze, 2009, 199-212).

The serf liberation and the subsequent societal reforms it inspired is very similar to the emancipation of the slaves in the United States.  At the most fundamental, both the slaves and the serfs played similar roles in society: agricultural laborers.  The slaves were still treated poorly after their emancipation, just as the serfs were.  The government was at first what role the slaves would play in society, and there were many different proposals and a good deal of debating between government officials as to what rights slaves really had.  Similar to Russia’s serfs, even after the slaves were given their rights there were numerous dissenters who felt that they didn’t deserve any rights (or at least not as much as they were given).  Some wanted the slaves to only remain as workers but could still have their freedoms, just like some did with the serfs.  The emancipation of the slaves was just one of many factors which would eventually spark the Civil War, which would tear apart and repair the United States into something stronger than it was, and also created the industry necessary to further our weapons technology and refit our military with the newest technology after the war.  Finally, although it took another hundred years, the emancipation of the slaves sparked a revolution for equality across all races and ethnicities which became a battle we still fight today.  Despite the thousands of miles, I find it interesting that there were two major social reforms going on in the world at nearly the exact same time, over the exact same thing.  I would also hope to discover over the course of this class what caused the United States and Russia to develop into the nations they are today, differences and all, when their prior history is so similar.

NOTE: All information was pulled from:

Freeze, G. (2009). Reform and Counter Reform 1855-1890. In Russia: A History (3rd ed., pp. 199-212). Oxford: Oxford University Press.