Fantastic post! Using the popularity of jeans as a means of a case study is a great lens to observe the black market. I’m curious, though, about whether the Soviet Union made any efforts to compete with the black market rather than simply oppressing it. Another thing that interests me is the popularity of American cultural icons despite the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union at that time. Did this popularity weaken the Soviet’s in the Cold War and play a part in their concession?
Author: Cameron Brown
Comment on No aggression coming from your pal Hitler, *wink wink* by Cameron Brown
I think something that is really interesting about the conflict between Russia and Germany is that Stalin thought he would be the one to decide when the conflict would occur. Perhaps it was a pride matter or simply an overlooked possibility. Regardless…
Comment on Showdown at Damanskii! by Cameron Brown
This is a really great post! I think conflicts like this can get lost or forgotten in the overview of world history but they explain so much about national relationships. Really fantastic post, very informative and beautifully written.
Comment on A new direction in the Soviet Union by Cameron Brown
I love this post, it’s a great overview of the beginning of the thaw. However, one of the really big factors in this thaw was the response of the people. How did they respond to this apparent new freedom? Was it a feeling of relief or were they in disbelief they were safe? Did they ever feel truly unsafe and how far did that feeling of danger extend? This is a truly complicated topic that has a lot of angles. Really great post!
Comment on The Holocaust and Forgotten Victims by Cameron Brown
How do you think history would have been different had they united rather than divided? And do you think that this division was part of a larger vision? Also, I think it is important that other stories are told about marginalized groups during this era…
