Posted on 11/05/2011 10:33:50 PM PDT by Nachum
Some people think Stalin was about two weeks away from invading Germany when Germany invaded Russia. What do you think or know about this?I'm no expert, and I know there are several experts here in FR, but my understanding is that Stalin had recently (early 40s) purged his general staff and other officers and that the Soviet military was in disarray, which is one of the reasons the German invasion went so smoothly in the early weeks.
Just good to see Russia has nagging concerns to keep it busy and on its toes.
I wonder if the author would care to explain what aspects of "national socialism" reflect the "far right" beliefs in smaller, limited government, less taxation and the belief in God given rights and a Constitution as an affirmation of those God given right?
Leftist idiots will try to say otherwise forever, but they are all the children of the Nazis - national socialists...
As it turns out, Stalin already knew the Germans had moved into the neutral zone, because they had told him. Their excuse was they needed to move their forces beyond the range of British bombers. Stalin's main concern seemed to be an accidental war with Germany. He ordered his troops not to respond to any “provocations”, but nobody knew exactly what a “provocation” was supposed to be, so in may cases they didn't resist the initial German attacks until it was too late. Stalin himself was shocked and went into a deep depression for weeks following the invasion. I remember Churchill's line about Stalin's actions in his memoirs, “The wicked are not always clever, and dictators are not always right”.
The Nazis combined elements of the left (socialism) and the right (nationalism). A lot of confusion comes from the huge diffence between the European "right" and the American "right". In Europe, prior to WWI, the conservatism meant supporting the status quo, monarchy, strong national government, state religion, etc. In the USA, we got rid of all the "conservatives" (Torries) following the Revolution, and founded the country on the classic liberalism of John Locke. So conservatives in Europe were statists while in America conservitism is about preserving classic liberalism. Not to be confused with modern liberalism, which is just watered down (or not) socialism.
It was also a bad plan on Hitler's part, though. He had gotten so much by bullying and diplomacy, I think he genuinely believed that France and Britain would not declare war, or if they did declare war, they would not actually fight over Poland. He understood Stalin quite well; his mistake was in underestimating the power of Churchill's will and the impassibility of the Channel once hostilities in the West began.
[And, it seems on the basis of what we now know Ribbentrop-Molotov contained, the German reading of the treaty was right.]
Stalin also had intelligence of the Nazis' intentions from his border spy networks and from Richard Sorge's network within Germany itself.
It's true Stalin decided to ignore those warnings -- or at least, it's true we're told he chose to do so. But clearly, portraying the faithful, betrayed victim was altogether in Soviet interests, and they were far more clever in manipulating western opinion than the Nazi's were, or than we realized at the time.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>If this is the “Nashi” (roughly meaning `our folks’) group, they display red flags with a black hammer & sickle in a white circle a la NSDAP party banner.
Anyway, the MSM template applies here as well that ANY opposition to muzzie encroachment is to be condemned as “racist”, whatever that is.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
“Our folks” are pretty opposite to guys with a red banner you are talking about.
These sickled ones are members of Eddie Limonov’s (who are former US resident) banned national-bolshevic party. Limonov was sentenced for propagation of bolshevism&weapons traffic and spent a few time in Siberia not so long ago. Now he is out of jail and started his dirty business again.
They don’t realize how the real Nazis were “buddy buddy” with the Muzzies.
Bullshit.
I would like to learn moe about the ethnic divide between blonde Russians who claim Nordic ancestry, and “southerners” like Ossietians. BTW I have read lots about the cartoon character “Octobriana” (Oktyabryana) whom some call the Blonde Bolshevika and is also identified with northern Russians.
There is nothing wrong with racial pride and if it helps Russians to confirm their national identity against the Muslim tide invading from Kavkaz and near regions, then so much the better. No good can come from Islam and the Chechens are like a cancer in the stomach of Russia.
In fact there are some blonde people in Russia mostly for the same reason they are in America. They are of Swedish, German or Baltic origin.
And they aren’t a core of population made out of some thousand ethnicities speaking some 150 different languages.
The reasons behind this tensions aren’t racial but historial.
In earlier 90s as most of the Stans got their independence from SU, they soon fallen under Saudi influence starting to massacre their Christian and Jewish population.
The majority of survivors came to Russia seeking refuge.
In a decade or so Stans ruined their economy and their people came to Russia to seek jobs and opportunities as well.
It makes most of the clashes since earlier Christian and Jewish immigrants don’t like Islamic newcomers.
They are pointing at muslims telling people their stories and urging society to do a thing about it before it is too late.
Sometimes in an ugly form like this rally.
In fact the situation is much more complex than just written above but it is too much a big deal to cover a problem at once. One can write a book or two about it.
I saw that in Uzbekistan as a deployed US military in 2003-04. Uzbeks told me that under USSR thirty percent of the population in Uzbekistan was Russian and it was already down to less than seven percent by then. And nearly one third of Uzbeks were now in Russia working.
But I met Uzbeks who converted to Christianity and they said most Uzbeks are not serious Muslims and hate Afghanistan. I watch Uzbek videos on youtube and it is like you say a very complicated picture, there is more nationalism than Islam in the comments.
The Uzbeks I met spoke English and Russian besides their own language so maybe they are the educated class. But everyone admired Russia and Russian food & music. They also say there is close kinship with Turkiye and Uzbekistan, many said one parent was Turkish.
Interesting part of the world and Uzbeks have computers & cell phones so they know what is going on elsewhere. Islam Karimov is a dictator but not as bad as the mullahs that’s for certain.
‘Russians’ are actually a term they are using to name every non-Uzbek caucasian minorities. Most of them are Russians and Ukrainians, a lot are actually Germans. Jews considered Russians as well.
As for nationalism and Islam it is always hand by hand in this part of the World.
‘Russian’ population couldn’t decline that much naturally there, I think you understand it.
And they don’t have to be all serious about Islam to make things ugly. It is enough to have 10 in 100 jihadis. BTW, don’t be naive to belive everything they are telling you on their feelings about Afghanistan and Islam. Lying to strangers is a part of their traditions. There are numerous Uzbeks in Taleban since 80s.
“Non-Uzbek minorities”
One of the KBR secretaries told me that any Uzbek I saw with blonde hair and blue eyes is a descendant of “Aleksandr Makedonskii”. Nu....konyechna!
I was getting a haircut from a young woman with the same blonde hair/blue eyes. I asked her if she were Russian and she replied, “Nyet, Ya Uzbekskaya!” She informed me that her mother was Russian but she was born and raised in Uzbekistan and that meant she was Uzbechka.
As for what somebody tells you when in Central Asia,
“Thinkest thou me a Christian dog, that I am slave to my word?” - Arab saying
Polish annexation of parts of Czechoslovakia in 1938, and the German-Polish nonagression pact and trade agreements of 1934 are well known. Learn some history.
Roger that. Mufti was just a useful idiot.
Oh, yeah. Let her move to Russia and she’ll end up claiming she is 110% Russian and saying no to muslim migrants:)
You are also aware the Czechs stole that land from Poland in 1920, while Poland was busy warding off the Bolsheviks.
It had nothing to do with Poland’s relationship with Nazi Germany, you implied they were allied with each other....the Germans were indifferent because they knew they’d wind up owning the area anyway, within the next few years.
Like the Soviets, the Poles used the rise of German power in the furtherance of their own interests, and like the Soviets, they paid.
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