Eric, I really like how you talked about the Cult of Stalin and how de-Stalinization was such an important movement after his death. I found your point interesting about how de-Stalinization was less about policy but more about the focus on Stalin him…
Author: Caroline Ritchey
Comment on From Stalin with Love: The Victor’s Plight by Caroline Ritchey
Ethan, great post! Even after everything they went through as soldiers in WW2, veterans still had to face immense struggles. I think it’s interesting how you mentioned this leading to a breakdown of “blind patriotism,” and Soviet cultural propaganda once again comes to the rescue. I think your last sentence was great and an interesting trend to follow throughout this class.
Comment on An Unorthodox Approach by Caroline Ritchey
Ethan, I really enjoyed your post! This is a really interesting post; I think it’s interesting how after all the work the Soviet Union put in to destroy church influence, they had to bring it back in order to boost morale. The associations that Orthodoxy had with historical memory is really powerful. Why do you think the church was the best means of boosting morale? I also enjoyed your images and parallels to modern-day Russia. Great work!
Comment on The Party Don’t Start Until Russia Walks In by Caroline Ritchey
Justin, this was a really unique and interesting post! I agree that you never associate something with such a luxurious connotation with the Soviet Union, but the Soviet champagne surely contradicts that! I also really liked your analogy at the end; popular culture also played a huge role in the Soviet Union and it’s really interesting to see the different ways this manifests.
Comment on The Use of Propaganda in Films by Caroline Ritchey
Katelyn, I really liked your focus on cultural/artistic aspects of the Soviet Union. These films show how Soviet control aimed to permeate all aspects of life– even movies and other forms of art and culture were oozing with propaganda. This theme continues in many different forms throughout the lifetime of the Soviet Union and I think you’ll find it very interesting!
Comment on Stop 3: Kremlin Wall Necropolis, Moscow by Caroline Ritchey
Hey Elysia, I really liked your post and your focus on the leadership of the Soviet Union. However, I got a little confused as you switched between talking about Stalin and Lenin very quickly without giving too much context surrounding either. Howeve…
Comment on Dissent Among the Ranks by Caroline Ritchey
Eric, I really like how you focused on the military aspect of the revolution. Ideology and public support can go a long way, but in a revolution, soldiers and military power are going to be more powerful than ideology alone. Do you think things would…
Comment on 2nd stop: Alexander Palace by Caroline Ritchey
Elysia, I really like the perspective your blog has taken and the links you’ve hyperlinked throughout are super helpful! It’s interesting to see how one building can represent so many different forces that were taking place at this time. However, I think you meant to reference WWI instead of WWII! I like how you pointed out how each side became more entrenched in their positions, fueling the war even further. Great work, and I’m excited to see where stop 3 takes us!
Comment on Food Fight! by Caroline Ritchey
I like the approach you took to this blogpost– not looking at the social and political factors of the revolution, but the simple need to survive. I think your post shows why the revolutionary message was so attractive to so many people– some people identified with the message, but others just wanted food and would follow along with anyone who promised that. Great work!
Comment on The Rise of a New Culture by Caroline Ritchey
Katelyn, this post was so interesting! I love how you focused on the cultural effects of the revolution and included so many interesting visuals. I’ve always been fascinated by how the Soviets changed not only the political climate, but really took hold of all the cultural aspects as well. I noticed that you took the last picture from Lithuania, which is really awesome! I’d love to hear more about that.
