Your post was so informative. I loved reading about the stilyagi and how you connected them to modern day hipsters. And especially the shadow economy and how people illegally recorded Jazz music.
Author: awpeake12
Comment on Innocence Lost: The Great Patriotic War in “Ivan’s Childhood” by awpeake12
Great post, and so well written and informative, I really like how you include links in the text–you will have to show me how to do that. I guess the Russians were ahead of their time in regards to anti-war sentiment.
Comment on The Girl with the Tokarev SVT-40 semi-automatic rifle. by awpeake12
Wow I had never heard of her before. You should check out Bryan’s post, he also wrote about a sniper. I just read an article about women who disguised themselves to serve in the American Civil War.
Comment on In Russia, Champagne Drinks You by awpeake12
I have never liked champagne but I really liked your post and how you connected the drink to broader cultural and social implications. Never knew it was traditionally made in bottles as opposed to in vats, I found that super cool (and am sure the french were pleased with the innovation). The drink of French kings and revolutionaries!
Comment on Exploration of the Poles by awpeake12
I had never heard of this before! So interesting. We see after the revolution the new Soviet Union embracing science and their own potential something I wrote about in my post on Magnitogorsk. Funny to think their was a race to the poles.
Comment on Power to the People by awpeake12
Building Socialism with Capitalist Hands! Just like with our politicians today we always see a distinct change from campaigning to governing. The Soviets were no different as challenges and realities forced them to adapt and make concessions. Somewhere out there someone is probably still waiting for that global revolution.
Comment on Off With Their Heads! by awpeake12
Yes I really liked reading about the Reds vs the Whites. I agree that the Whites had an advantage with international support, but they didn’t seem able to harness it. One thing I thought was really interesting was Soviet relations with western Europe in the early years.
Comment on Whatta man, whatta man, whatta mighty masculine man! by awpeake12
Informative post! I liked how you highlighted some of the issues with women’s rights after the revolution. I also found it very interesting how in the Freeze text (332-333) he highlights some of the dynamics around this new Soviet culture: soaring divorce rates, low birth rates and the differences between family life in the village and city. Great job examining an aspect of the early Soviet period.
Comment on April of Discontent by awpeake12
I think it was exactly fear of losing power and influence that prevented Tsar Nicholas from making any real concessions–that is why the October Manifesto was such a flawed constitutional document. I also do not think he could have done anything to stay in power: the autocracy was anathema to the Russian people after failure in the Russo-Japanese war, the turmoil brought on by World War I and the social and economic upheavals that were taking place all at the same time. (Not to mention Rasputin.) The only thing that would placate the Russian people was dramatic and convincing change. That is how we get Lenin.
Comment on April of Discontent by awpeake12
Thank You! There were also other events I wanted to highlight in my post that showed how Russia was on the road to Revolution–particularly the Kornilov affair–but that will be a post for another time.
