I also did my post on the Anti – Alcohol campaign! Its certainly a very interesting topic due to the fact the campaign did so well that it ended up hurting the Soviet Union even more. I bet after the campaign ended they wished they had never bothered to mess with it in the first place!
Author: Justin Kane
Comment on Stop 6: Chernobyl by Justin Kane
This was very informative! Kind of feels like they are profiting over thousands of peoples misfortune by having a gift shop at the end of the tour but it doesn’t surprise me. Also, the rules you had to follow while on the tour are very interesting to hear about!
Comment on The Singing Revolution by Justin Kane
I really enjoyed reading about this! Censorship is such a recurring theme in Soviet history. I can only imagine how the people in crowd who were signing these nationalists songs felt. Must have been very freeing yet bittersweet.
Comment on Comrades of the Traveling Pants by Justin Kane
This was very interesting and something that I have never heard of! When i think of the black market i don’t think of buying things like shaving cream or jeans but rather drugs or weapons. It was also very interesting how social classes were divided by the type of jeans they wore!
Comment on Russian Rock’n’Roll, Avoiding Mind Control? by Justin Kane
I feel like rock n roll or music in general is often a way to sit back, relax, and get away from the realities around you. In the Soviet Union it seems as if they used it as a way to pull people back in and buy into the realities. It doesn’t surprise me that it was controlled as it was. Things like literature and arts back then were also controlled to an extent.
Comment on Just Another Proxy War by Justin Kane
This was a very informative post! You went into good detail and i was able to follow the build up which transitioned into the consequences of the war. I am wondering though, how do you think this would have an effect today if the Soviets would have won?
Comment on “Make Love Not War” by Justin Kane
From the sounds of it, the Soviet Union was a sort of mixing pot of outside cultural influences that shaped them in the 60s. Did they have anyone like Elvis or The Beatles that was there “main” cultural influence? Also, i wouldnt have expected that Russia would have had the longest hippie-movement. I guess when i think Russia i dont think hippies!
Comment on Corn and Communism Are All That Matter by Justin Kane
Great post! I found it interesting that they couldn’t figure out the cultivation of corn but had no problem figuring out how to make ballistics. I agree, definitely a cold war mentality. I feel they could have figured out the cultivation of corn had they put there priorities in different places.
Comment on Summerhouses & the Soviet Union by Justin Kane
On a somewhat related note this definitely reminded me of booking a place for spring break. You either find something of reasonable price but the place is run down or you find a nice place and the price is outrageous. Thanks for teaching me about dachas!
Comment on Ukraine Keeps Driving Men Insane by Justin Kane
I found it funny that at the signing he kept referring to them as “enemies of Russia” and yet here they are giving them land. As someone else has mentioned i’d also be curious with how the public viewed this. They definitely had a loud voice (whether it was actually heard or not)
