In the 1980’s the Soviet Union realized there was a direct link between alcohol consumption and many persistent social problems and health problems in the nation. There were several warning signs from studying data acquired from the previous decade, one huge one is how much money the Soviet Union made from the sales tax of … Continue reading Lots of Problems with Alcohol →
Category: Comrade’s Corner
Say No to Alcohol
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Alcohol has been a huge influence on Russia’s culture, whether it be a good or bad one. In 1979, the state derived approximately 25.4 billion rubles in indirect taxes from the sale of alcoholic beverage which was more than what was paid in income tax. However, alcoholism was on the rise in the Soviet Union … Continue reading Say No to Alcohol
Stop 6: Chernobyl
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For my final stop I decided to go to to a site that shaped the later part of the twentieth century and still has an impact now. I decided to head to Chernobyl, a nuclear reactor site that exploded during the Soviet regime. Background: On April 26. 1986, reactor number four at the nuclear site […]
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! →
Physical Sports & Politics
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Throughout history sports have been a way for nations to come together in celebration of a joint athletic spirit and the ability to demonstrate their national pride. While many Olympic Games have been rooted in controversies such as drug and doping scandals, the 1980 Olympics held in Moscow, had to face mass boycotts from foreign … Continue reading Physical Sports & Politics
Russian Into Afghanistan
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It was in late December, 1979 that the Soviet 40th Army moved to invade the country of Afghanistan. In the Soviets’ mind, they were helping to improve communist relations between the Afghan people and the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), a communist political party.1 During the midst of the Cold War, the United States had … Continue reading Russian Into Afghanistan
Fighting in Afghanistan Never Works
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If you haven’t picked up on it yet, I like to talk about war and conflict in history. This blog post will do just that. In late December, 1979, the USSR began conducting military operations in the socialist republic of Afghanistan, responding to an Afghani call for aid. The goal of these operations were to stabilize […]
Blog 6 – Russian for the Summer Olympics
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Pictured: A newspaper from the Herald-Journal from February 21, 1980 demonstrating the boycotting of the Olympics. (https://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/1980-us-boycotted-the-moscow-olympics-because-russia-invaded-afghanistan/) The Olympics have been around since 1896. A spectacle featuring the world’s top athletes, their abilities, and the country’s patriotism. The Olympics have become a major source of entertainment as millions gather around to watch and cheer on … Continue reading Blog 6 – Russian for the Summer Olympics →
Russian Rock’n’Roll, an Avoidance of Mind Control?
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Rock’n’roll in the Soviet Union is far different than that of what we in America picture as rock’n’roll. Listening to the above song you may be able to tell a few minor differences but once you learn of the title, My address is the Soviet Union, and read the lyrics (posted below) you can tell that this … Continue reading Russian Rock’n’Roll, an Avoidance of Mind Control?
Aw (Foe)y What Have We Done
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The United States and the Soviet Union have never been best buds. However, the 1970’s brought about a new foreign policy that both the Soviet Union and the United States could get on board with, that of détente. This policy, as described by Gregory Freeze in his book, “Russia a History,” made way for agreements …
