I really like your post! It also brings up an interesting issue since like you mentions the Soviet Union was working to enforce that family structure but also were encouraging families to have lots of kids. It must have left illegitimate children in an awkward limbo of being needed for the population but also not falling into the family unit image that the government was trying to hold together.
Author: dianaschulberg
Comment on The Katyn Forest Massacre by dianaschulberg
I also did the Katyn Forest Massacre! It is an interesting topic and I like how you focused on how this move helped Soviet Russia hold control in Poland because you are right it is moves like this kind of brutality that gave Soviet Russia such a strong foothold in places like Poland. It also makes you wonder what else the Soviet Union covered up.
Comment on Central planning meets film: The censorship of a mass medium by dianaschulberg
Your post brings up an interesting point about the creation of art in all its forms under a heavily censored government. Many people would argue that under such extreme censorship, true art can never be fully expressed but it is art created in these cases that art shows a fair amount of strength in working to gets its message across while also skirting the edges of legality. Is this piece of film really propaganda or is it turning such on its head?
Comment on Episode 3: Revenge of the Reds by dianaschulberg
I enjoy how you talk about the use of propaganda to the creation and continuance of the Soviets and their rule. Also the lack of solid leadership and organization in the White Army definitely contributed to their downfall. I like that the research you did shows and how much thought was put into this. I did not know about the infighting in the White Army but it makes sense once explained. No real leader left a lot of people trying to fill the power gap.
Comment on Off With Their Heads! by dianaschulberg
Its interesting the dynamic between the White and the Red Armies. In particular that the White Army was aided by foreign countries such as the US, it was a starting place that stemmed a lot of hatred between the USSR and the US. The motivations between them also played a large role in how effective they ended up being. The Red Army was passionately fighting for a cause they believed in while the White Army was more forced into service.
Comment on Whatta man, whatta man, whatta mighty masculine man! by dianaschulberg
I did the misogyny in the revolution too! Its such an interesting topic and you put in in a great way, it was very toxic towards women no matter what they did. All that women were seen to represent or anything considered ‘feminine’ was very much frowned upon. It really left no place for women in the revolution even though they had been a considerable force in the revolution.
Comment on Kornilov’s Attempted Coup Backfired Worse Than He Ever Could Have Imagined by dianaschulberg
It is an interesting situation especially in terms of irony. It really does come down to the age old saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. In trying to go against both of these powers he ended up getting the wrath of both. It also says a lot about being in tune with how the people are feeling and which way they are swaying. So often coups lead to unstable interim change and certainly without the backing the masses coups can often fall apart so quickly and leave a power vacuum. I definitely thing that this event contributed in sway some of the masses who might have been previously neutral.
Comment on I Want You for Red Army by dianaschulberg
It is really interesting to compare recruitment and other such posters to ones we had in the US. The resemblance is remarkable and it makes one wonder if it really is copying of a system that works or if there is some form of psychological appeal that involves the design of these posters. On the one hand it could just be a coincidence but with some many effective posters that have the same general theme it also could be some form of emotional and mental appeal that goes into these posters and how they have the ability to approach the common man for a larger goal.
Comment on It was the Best of Times and it was the Worst of Times by dianaschulberg
Thank you very much! I had a lot of fun writing this post and it was also interesting to look for the same change of ideals in music, literature and movies.
Comment on Snapshot of The Empire: Life of the Peasantry in Russia by dianaschulberg
I enjoy the photo you picked for how well it captures, as you mentioned, an average day in the life at that particular time in Russia. Even without the specifics of exactly who these people are it gives a sense of their work and the mood of the time. It is particularly interesting to me that the women in the background behind the wooden press are there. They look like they are taking a short break from work themselves. What are they doing? Would they be expected to help with the hay or are they more agricultural workers from some local crops?
