It all started in 1987, Estonians began mass protests in the capital city of Tallinn against the Russian occupation of their country. One of the protests included gathering of 10,000 people in the Tallinn Song Festival where they sang a … Continue reading →
Month: April 2018
The Disappearing Villages of the Soviet Union
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•In the 1980’s there was a resurgence of immigration from the rural Siberian villages into the big cities. In 20 years the number of villages in the Western part of Siberia with less than 200 residents decreased by 50 percent.(Ryvkina) … Continue reading →
I’m Not Drunk, You’re Drunk!
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•(Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/27429206@N02/2743355206/) One of the most prevalent stereotypes that comes to mind when thinking about Russia is that of the Russian drinker, warmed by an endless amount of vodka in a very cold country. While that is just a stereotype, alcohol still held a place of cultural and societal significance in the Soviet Union and … Continue reading I’m Not Drunk, You’re Drunk! →
AIDS and the “high-risk” group.
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•(Image source: NPR) “When my doctor indicated to me in December of 1981 that I was immune deficient I said, “What does that mean?” And he said, “We don’t know.” “The effect of being told that I was immune deficient was devastating. I called my parents and said “I am going to die.” (Two statements … Continue reading AIDS and the “high-risk” group. →
The Sobering Truth
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•The truth is, Russians can’t live without there alcohol. They like to drink….a lot. Every celebratory occasion in Russia calls for a drink but many would not even need a reason to drink besides that they enjoy it. Up until the start of the 1980s there were some anti-alcohol campaigns but never a real strong … Continue reading “The Sobering Truth”
The Baltic Way
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•Since being forced to join the Soviet Union as Republics during World War II, the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania had desired independence. These states had their independence during the early 20th century for about 20 years but were forced to be under Soviet rule once again because of the power of the … Continue reading The Baltic Way
The Elephant(s foot) In The Room
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•The devastating effects of atomic bombs became shockingly apparent after the United States dropped these new age weapons on Imperial Japan. But, along with atomic weapons came peaceful, cooperative uses for nuclear technology. One leading country in the innovative technology was the Soviet Union. The Soviets used nuclear reactors to create electricity and efficiently power … Continue reading The Elephant(s foot) In The Room
Chernobyl: Disaster at the worst of Times
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•Chernobyl is the worlds largest nuclear accident. It occurred on April 26, 1986. It started when the plants #4 reactor exploded violently. Many people were killed because of the harmful radiation that was emitted, and large swaths of land around the town were deemed unsafe to live in. However, there were other consequences, both good … Continue reading Chernobyl: Disaster at the worst of Times
We Have No Sex Here
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•With the start of Perestroika and the policy of Glasnost created by Mikhail Gorbachev during the 1980s, many women in the Soviet Union started to feel open about themselves, more exclusively, their bodies. A sexual revolution was on the rise, women were starting to feel more in control of their bodies, and as such, they … Continue reading We Have No Sex Here →
The lads of Liubertsy
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•In the latter half of the 20th century, western culture flooded the Soviet Union. Soviet youth enjoyed denim jeans, rock music, and Coca-Cola. Many of them began to identify as punk-rockers or hippies. The young men of Liubertsy (a suburb outside of right Moscow), however, saw the popularity of western culture as a threat to …