[RusIvan]

If I were living under the heel of a tyrant, damn straight I'd swallow my pride and ask for help. ===

As I said I just compare russian view with anybody else.

You will better understand russians if you know that in russian history was someone who "ask for help" of foreigners against domestic power.
They all failed. Because all russians ceased hostilites in between and turned against those.
It is in culture. Under foreign invasion country gets together, all inner anymosities suddenly forgotten and whole country began to fight invaders.

For your illustration. Imagine american Civil War. If one side ask for help of british and british sends troops.
Then according of russian way both side of war have to put aside hostilites and went after those who brought british. Kill them and defeat british and kick out them from country.
After british defeated then hostilites between sides continue.
It is the russian way to do these things:)). Russian never asks for help from foreigner if fight goes with another russian. It is beneath contempt.

[John O]

From some small reading I have done I understand that Russia's history is full of being invaded by this or that other foreign power, one right after the other. If this is correct then maybe that is where the "All Russians against any foreigner" sentiment comes from.

I've been lead to believe that that was the real impetus behind the Warsaw pact, building a defensive perimiter around Russia.

Am I on track here?