It interesting how one can draw similarities from the stiyaga in the Soviet Union and what we have come to know as hippies. Both counter the meta culture of the times and are therefore looked upon negatively. Great post and it was very interesting to read about!
Author: Dalton Ragland
Comment on All is Fair in Love and War by Dalton Ragland
I think you did a good job showing the stress that war caused on woman on the homefront. Do you think that this rise in romance made the soldiers more dedicated to the war effort or did it have the opposite effect?
Comment on Territory & WWII by Dalton Ragland
Great post Taylor! You did a great job analyzing the territorial gains that the Soviets received after the war, which is something that many people do not focus on. Do you think Stalin felt that the Soviet Union deserved to get some territory out of the war due to the extreme number of soldiers that it lost during the war?
Comment on Episode 4: A New Purge by Dalton Ragland
The purges of the Intelligentsia by Stalin and the Soviets seem to be counter-productive in my mind, which allows me to understand why people view him and his policies as backward. In order for a society to thrive, an educated high class is necessary. Killing them out of fear is like cutting off the legs of your country. Do you think the Intelligentsia or the working class has the most effect on the stability of a society?
Comment on Open Up, Communism is Knocking on Your Door by Dalton Ragland
A very interesting post! The way that the Soviets used the Kulaks as scapegoats for their troubles reminds me of how the Nazis did the same thing to the Jews during World War II. Although the Kulaks were not rounded up and systematically annihilated, they two situations seem to have their origins in the same feelings of blame and resentment.
Comment on Kirov and Killing by Dalton Ragland
Such an interesting event I have never heard about! Do you think that assassination has been used by corrupt leaders as a proficient tool to get what they want in society? In your opinion, do you think people would have been better off with Kirov in office instead of Stalin?
Comment on Young Communists and Young Thug by Dalton Ragland
Great comparison! The focus on the Russian youth was vital to securing the communist movement that the Bolsheviks were promoting. Children’s minds are moldable while they’re young and the Bolsheviks took advantage of this. You make good points and I enjoyed your connection to Young Thug as well as the image. Great Job!
Comment on Women: Powerful or just Domestic? by Dalton Ragland
I enjoyed your focus on gender roles after the Bolshevik Revolution. It was clear the the societal roles of women were fuzzy and varied in place and time. We see this confusion in these images as well as in the character of Liuda in “Bed and Sofa.” Overall good blogpost!
Comment on The Emancipation of Soviet Citizens from Religion by Dalton Ragland
I also focused on the relationship between the church and the state in my blogpost. The Bolsheviks waged a rough war on the church and seemed to paint a bad picture of it throughout Russia. The Bolsheviks did this both as a way of eliminating opposition in the church and cementing their position in society.
Comment on Leon Trotsky by Dalton Ragland
I think you did a great job illustrating how complicated the transition of power from the provisional government to the Bolsheviks was after the revolution. The two had completely different ideals and the led to a complete reconstructing of the society. Along with the stresses of the war still going on, the Bolsheviks faced a imposing task in stabilizing a new government. You did a great job showing this.
