Russia slams Estonia statue move

[Saras]

This is just another of a myriad of manifestations of Russias post-imperial insecurity/anxiety. It will pass.

This affair also irritating to Russians as it is a subject that has sacred meaning in the Russian psyche, namely, the Great Patriotic War (as they call their part of WW2 against Germany), which is somewhat unwise, imho.

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by Saras
This is just another of a myriad of manifestations of Russias post-imperial insecurity/anxiety. It will pass.

This affair also irritating to Russians as it is a subject that has sacred meaning in the Russian psyche, namely, the Great Patriotic War (as they call their part of WW2 against Germany), which is somewhat unwise, imho.

Yes. It is kind of like, say, the French relocating dead American troops to somewhere less obvious because of present-day politics. It will certainly continue the strain of relations between Russia, its people, and the West in general.

[TheStinger]

Originally posted by Tacc


Yes. It is kind of like, say, the French relocating dead American troops to somewhere less obvious because of present-day politics. It will certainly continue the strain of relations between Russia, its people, and the West in general.

Its not like that at all, The US did not "liberate" the French and then annex them as the SU did.

It would appear that the balts regard the SU in the same light as the Nazi's i.e people who invaded theri country and oppressed them.

The French might argue with the Yanks but it isn't because they have a history of being opressivley occupied by them

[Tattila the Hun]

Originally posted by Tacc


Well, considering Finland was an Axis nation....

Co-Belligerent.

(Like said, hard to stay neutral in that climate, and old Joe had allready attacked us...)

Estonia

[Solver]

It would appear that the balts regard the SU in the same light as the Nazi's i.e people who invaded theri country and oppressed them.

Exactly, that's the way it's usually seen - that the countries were not liberated, but rather traded one occupational regime for another. Who knows, maybe if the Soviet Union actually drove the Germans out of the Baltics and then respected & protected their sovereignty, the relations would be much better now.

[Pekka]

Right, and what these small countries usually remember is the fact, that Nazi Germany and SU also kind of split the cake and thought they should share it between themselves. Just because Hitler backstabbed Stalin doesn't mean we think Stalin is so much better. One way or the other, these small nations would have been gotten some abuse, but in this case, they got abused by BOTH parties, and now somehow there's an outcry for 'Balts are nazi symphatizers'.

This is difficult for many to understand, but that outcry is coming from a group, that is regarded pretty much the equivalent of nazis. So you there's no really favourites, it's all the same, but different slogans shouted.

THis is NOT to say that when talkinga bout SU or Russia today, that they are regarded as Stalin. This is all related to those days and the groups that were in place THEN, not NOW. The revisionist history telling is also not a favourite of these small nations (victims of both parties, not just one). I do remember rhetorics, where some baltic nations were seeking for admitting, that SU occupied their lands. Should that much be admitted, they could have come and joined the victory day celebrations Putin held, but since the answer was 'How can we occupy lands that belong to us', well, you can agree with that argument, or you can appreciate the situation these countries were in and kind of relate that to the reality, and disagree with it.

[Lancer]

Never pass up good statuary advise. Remember, buy low, sell high. Adolf is turning...trendy.

[Solver]

now somehow there's an outcry for 'Balts are nazi symphatizers'.

Russia feels that way because the Balts are anti-Soviet, hence they "must" be Nazi sympathizers. Additionally, there is this fairly controversial practice by some of the Baltic populations to honour those who served in the German SS. It's fairly controversial indeed - the logic is that those who support these SS legionaries support not the fact that they were SS, but the fact that they fought against the Soviet army, which, in turn, was the occupying force later.

[Heresson]

Re: Russia slams Estonia statue move

Originally posted by Tacc

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6273117.stm

Surprise! Some Baltic republic is dishonouring the Soviet citizens who fought and died so that Estonia would become soviet republic instead of being independant.

corrected

[TCO]

Isn't there like a little rump of Russia that is not connected to the rest of the country, but is in the Baltic. Why don't the Latvuanonians occupy it?

[Nubclear]

Re: Re: Russia slams Estonia statue move

Why don't the Latvuanonians occupy it?

They didn't want it, so it went to the RSFSR.

[Heresson]

not true... I think Lithuania wouldn't mind it. And Poland wanted it too. Both had historical claims. But Stalin decided Russia people should get some trophy, and a non-freezing baltic port would be good for USSR.

Today, it is full of weaponry... and of aids.

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by Heresson
not true... I think Lithuania wouldn't mind it.

Lithuania rejected annexing the region because they claimed it was too devestated.

And Poland wanted it too.

The Soviet Union annexed the area, and Poland was not a part of the Soviet Union.

Today, it is full of weaponry... and of aids.

just like russia

[Wycoff]

Originally posted by TCO
Isn't there like a little rump of Russia that is not connected to the rest of the country, but is in the Baltic?

Yeah. East Prussia. It's where the Soviets ethnically cleansed the Germans who lived there, destroyed all the architecture, and renamed Königsberg Kaliningrad to honor some party hack. They turned the home of Kant and Herder into the cesspool of Europe, with some of the highest crime and AIDS rates on the continent. Other than that its a great place to live.

[BeBMan]

Do you speak about Kaliningrad? It belongs to Hermania anyway



edit: wah too late