Showing posts with label Communism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Communism. Show all posts

Friday, July 1

Mannerheim Statue 'Tampere'

I have mentioned the Tampere Mannerheim Statue on this blog before here 'Europe's Lingering Scar of Communism'

You see, Tampere was a hotbed of communists during the Finnish Civel War and Mannerheim was the leader of the 'White' forces and routed the communists from the city. So, back in the 1950's when a statue was going to be erected in his honor, the city leaders stuck it in the forest, nowhere near the city itself.

So for the last couple trips here I had been meaning to visit the statue. I finally got the chance today.












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Tuesday, January 26

It was not Western Banks that Enabled Hitler. It was the Soviet Union

Today's news has the latest attempt to shift blame on the West. This time by director Oliver Stone who seems to want to throw the blame of Hitler on us:
BANGKOK, Thailand — Adolf Hitler was a psychopath and a monster but rose to power thanks to big business leaders and other supporters who appreciated his vow to destroy communism and control workers, Hollywood filmmaker Oliver Stone said Monday.

Stone, who is working on a 10-part documentary on the 20th century titled "The Secret History of the United States," said the German dictator was "enabled by Western bankers" and managed to "seduce" Germany's military industrial complex. - The Canadian Press
If Oliver Stone wanted to make a real story about the history behind WWII, then he would toss aside this piece of crap* and concentrate on the story of how the Soviet Union enabled Hitler to attack the rest of Europe. Take the following issues that would be great in a movie, starting with Stalin's assistance in giving Hitler power:

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Stalin's Intervention to ensure Hitler's Election in Germany:
During the critical 1932 German elections, he forbid the German Communists from collaborating with the Social Democrats. These parties together gained more votes than Hitler and could have prevented him from becoming Chancellor. - Wikipedia
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Alliance with Hitler / Nazi Germany
The Soviet Union had Hitler's back at the start of World War II by agreeing to split Europe amongst themselves drawing a line right through Poland. (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) It is common knowledge that Nazi Germany attacked Poland (on 1 September 1939) but not so common knowledge that the Soviet Union attacked Poland from the East. (On 17 September 1939)
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Support of Nazi Germany
From the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in August, 1939 through almost the end of the first half of 1941, Stalin and the USSR fed and equipped Hitler and Germany as Germany invaded Western Europe and then attacked Great Britain by air. - Wikipedia
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Partially Responsible for World War II
According to the Historian Richard Pipes, the Communist states share some responsibility for World War II. Both Hitler and Mussolini used the Soviet Union as a model for their own totalitarian states and Hitler privately expressed that Stalin was a "genius". In turn, Stalin expressed desire for another great war that would leave his enemies weakened and allow Soviet expansion. He allowed the testing and production of German weapons that were forbidden by the Versailles Treaty to occur on Soviet territory. - Wikipedia
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Soviet Union escorted a Nazi raider disguised as neutral merchant ships to the Pacific so that they could avoid attack by the British:
Breakout into the Pacific - Under the command of Kapitän zur See (later Konteradmiral) Robert Eyssen, HSK7 (German auxiliary cruiser KOMET) departed for her first raiding voyage from Gotenhafen on 3 July 1940. With the consent of the then neutral Soviet Union and with assistance from Soviet Icebreaker Joseph Stalin, KOMET, disguised as the Soviet steamer Dezhnev, passed through the Arctic Ocean north of Russia and entered the Pacific Ocean. - Wiki
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Murmansk Shipyards converted a German ship into an Auxiliary Cruiser
The German motor vessel ILLER was converted into an auxiliary cruiser in the Murmansk shipyards - The Deadly Embrace
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Murmansk was used by the Nazis as a safe haven for their ships at the outbreak of WWII including the:
  • German Liner BREMEN
  • German Liner ST. LOUIS
  • US cargo ship CITY OF FLINT which was taken by the German Battleship DEUTSCHLAND as a prize. The ship and German crew should have been interned by the Soviets but were not.
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Soviets provided a Navy base for Nazi Use:
The Soviets also provided Germany with a U-boat base at Basis Nord (Russia) for refueling, maintenance location and a takeoff point for raids and attacks on shipping. In addition, the Soviets provided Germany with access to the Northern Sea Route for both cargo ships and raiders (though only the raider Komet used the route before June of 1941), which forced Britain to protect sea lanes in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. - Wikipedia
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Circumvented Sanctions against Nazi Germany:
The Soviet Union also bought and shipped other materials to Germany, such as rubber from India. - Wikipedia
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Oddly enough, the Soviet Union's assistance to Nazi Germany provided Germany with the raw materials needed to attack the Soviet Union:
Despite fears causing the Soviet Union to enter deals with Germany in 1939, that Germany came so close to destroying the Soviet Union was due, in large part, to Soviet actions taken from 1939 to 1941. Without Soviet imports, German stocks would have run out in several key products by October of 1941, only three and a half months into the invasion. Germany would have already run through their stocks of rubber and grain before the first day of the invasion were it not for Soviet imports.

Without Soviet deliveries of these four major items ( Oil Products, Rubber, Manganese, Grain ), Germany could barely have attacked the Soviet Union, let alone come close to victory, even with more intense rationing. - Wikipedia
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Stalin attempted to join Hitler's Axis Alliance between Germany and Italy and Japan:
In October and November 1940, German–Soviet Axis talks occurred concerning the Soviet Union's potential entry as a fourth Axis Power. The negotiations included a two day Berlin conference between Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov, Adolf Hitler and German Foreign Minister Joachim Ribbentrop, followed by both countries trading written proposed agreements. Germany never responded to a November 25, 1940, Soviet proposal leaving the negotiations unresolved. Germany broke the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in June 1941 by invading the Soviet Union. - Wikipedia
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It was not Western Bankers that enabled Hitler. He did not need money to wage war. He needed raw materials and fuel. For this need, he found a willing trader in Stalin.

For the longest time, Russia has gotten away with white-washing over it's criminal behavior and assistance to Hitler's Germany during WWII is because the other countries of the world have declined to press them about it. The last thing anyone needs now is a movie that helps Russia in their ongoing efforts to shift blame from them.

One movie Oliver Stone could make would be a 'Secret History of the Soviet Union' giving viewers a full accounting of Soviet crimes.However, don't hold your breath for anything like that. Reason Magazine's Article 'Hollywood's Missing Movies - Why American films have ignored life under communism.' addressed this topic a couple years back:
Never heard of Total Eclipse? It hasn't been produced or even written. In all likelihood, such a film has never even been contemplated, at least in Hollywood. Indeed, in the decade since the Berlin Wall fell, or even the decade before that, no Hollywood film has addressed the actual history of communism, the agony of the millions whose lives were poisoned by it, and the century of international deceit that obscured communist reality. The simple but startling truth is that the major conflict of our time, democracy versus Marxist-Leninist totalitarianism--what The New York Times recently called "the holy war of the 20th century"--is almost entirely missing from American cinema. It is as though since 1945, Hollywood had produced little or nothing about the victory of the Allies and the crimes of National Socialism. This void is all the stranger since the major conflict of our time would seem to be a natural draw for Hollywood. - Reason Magazine
Maybe one day the truth will be told on the movie screen.
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Here is one image from the book 'RED primer for children and diplomats':


In 1939 a wonderful opportunity for world peace came from the most unexpected source. Although the Soviets opposed Fascist dictatorship and imperialism, they saw a means which could be used to further the ultimate triumph of the Communist brand of Socialism. A mutual non-aggression agreement was made with Hitler.

Hitler invaded Poland and the Soviets moved in to prevent the Nazis from taking over the whole country. The Soviets murdered some 11,000 Polish officers and intellectuals at Katyn Forest and peace and order were established in Poland, for a while. - Link

Here is a handy Desktop Wallpaper summarizing the 62 Million Deaths attributed to Soviet Rule:

You can find it here: The New American Myth


* - I am sure the movie will be entertaining, but it will fail as a history piece.

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Friday, December 11

Canada: Stalin = Hitler

On the heels of Europe declaring that Stalin was as big a murderous bastard as Hitler comes Canadian Liberals calling to take the same position:
Liberal MPs Pass Motion To Mark August 23rd As Black Ribbon Day

03.12.2009

OTTAWA - Liberal Foreign Affairs Critic, the Hon. Bob Rae, passed a unanimous Resolution in Parliament today to commemorate the victims of Europe's totalitarian regimes.

"Millions of Canadians of Eastern and Central European descent whose families have been directly affected by either Nazi or Communist crimes have made unique and significant, cultural, economic, social and other contributions to help build the Canada we know today," said Mr. Rae. "We must unequivocally condemn the crimes against humanity committed by totalitarian Nazi and Communist regimes and offer the victims of these crimes and their family members' sympathy, understanding and recognition for their suffering.

"Every victim of any totalitarian regime has the same human dignity and deserves justice, remembrance and recognition by the Parliament and the Government of Canada."

Twenty years after the fall of the totalitarian Communist regimes in Europe, knowledge among Canadians about these regimes, which terrorised their fellow citizens in Central and Eastern Europe for more than 40 years, is still alarmingly superficial and inadequate.

This annual day of remembrance is to be held on August 23rd to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact between the Nazi and Soviet Communist regimes.

"Called Black Ribbon Day, the establishment of this Day of Remembrance on August 23rd will show Canadians and those around the world that Canada will not stand for crimes against humanity, and we will be counted among those who stand up for victims of systematic and ruthless abuse.

"Canadians must not allow these crimes to go misunderstood and unrecognized." - CommunistCrimes.org
Lets see if the Canadian Government makes this resolution official.

Where is the US on this matter? I have written before that Russia needs to go through what Nazi Germany went through at the end of WWII with an investigation to the crimes of Communism. (Click the 'Soviet Union' tag to find the relevant posts.) Since it has not happened we have to deal with Russia acting like a bully all across Europe as well as having to deal with ongoing admiration for the Soviet Union and even for Stalin himself. This is mad.

One way to get the ball rolling might be for an investigation into US actions or better put American inaction in fighting Soviet crimes going back to the 1930's. For starters, it would be nice to see an investigation into Why the US State Department did nothing to help Americans trapped in the Soviet Union get back to the US, knowing that those going into the Embassy were being picked up as they came out and set to the Gulag, many never to return. This went on for decades.

Take a look at the US State Department's Freedom of Information Act 'Reading Room' list of Topics. 'Communism' and 'Soviet Union' are not even listed. Doing a search for relevant documents does not bring up much interesting information either.

So, what are they hiding? My guess is lots.
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Monday, December 7

December 7th - Never Forget

Today is the 68th anniversary of the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.

While the attack was done by the Japanese, we in fact have three countries to 'thank' for World War II. Those of course being Japan, Germany and the Soviet Union. To this day, one of those countries has yet to atone for this crime against humanity. Unfortunately, it needs to be stated that the Soviet Union was a leading player in bringing about World War II, because Russia has never really been forced to face that inconvenient detail.


German and Soviet troops at the so-called "Border of Peace", or a demarcation line set up by the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact; picture taken during the Polish Defense War of 1939. Soviet BT tank visible in the foreground. - Wikipedia
So in order not to forget, we first need to properly remember and recognize the criminal acts of our supposed 'Allie' in that War.

Previous:

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Tuesday, September 22

Russia's New Gulag - Powered by North Koreans

Remember the Soviet Union's infamous prison system, the Gulag. Well, it appears to be making a comeback with the assistance of Communist North Korea.
At home, North Koreans live under total government control and the watchful eye of the Dear Leader, Kim Jong-il.

But in the Amur region of Russia, almost 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from the border, North Korea has created a home away from home at a series of remote logging camps in which nearly 1,500 workers are employed.

I travelled to one of the camps deep in the forest. A giant monument bearing the words "Our greatest leader Kim Il-sung lives with us forever" stood in the middle. - BBC
As if there are not enough unemployed Russians available to do work, for little money. They need to import North Koreans to work as slave labor.
Although reluctant to speak, one told me that he earned the equivalent of $200 per month. Another said that he earned $1 for each truck he loaded and that he could load up to nine per day, but he had not been paid since May. - BBC
As for vacation, forget it. I bet Stalin gave more his victims more time off that the North Koreans get now.
"The Koreans work year round with two days off per year," he told me. "All the other days are working days no matter what the weather conditions, they always work.

"The Koreans work for the government and their communist party, they've got production targets," he said. "If the quota is filled then everything is ok. If it is not fulfilled, well then they've got their Communist Party of North Korea, and everybody gets punished from the managers down to the worker who didn't fulfil the quota." - BBC
Despite the wonderful treatment, the report notes that thousands have escaped the camps and are living in hiding in Russia.

Go read the whole sad story and watch the video report. This is how Russia treats their friends. It should be a warning to us all.

N Koreans toiling in Russia's timber camps - BBC

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Wednesday, September 9

Is Russia Still Holding American Servicemen Captive?

Is Russia Still Holding American Servicemen Captive? This was one question that a joint US-Russia Team was set up to try and answer back in the 90's after the fall of the Soviet Union.
US-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIAs

In March 1992, the Presidents of the United States and Russian Federation joined together to establish the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIAs (USRJC). The work of the Commission focuses on three primary objectives:
  • - To determine if any American POW/MIAs are being held against their will on the territory of the former Soviet Union and, if so, to secure their immediate release and repatriation;
  • - To determine the fate of unaccounted-for members of the U.S. Armed Forces who were located on the territory of the former Soviet Union or about whom the Russian Government may have information; and
  • - To clarify facts pertaining to Soviet personnel missing from their their war in Afghanistan, from Cold War-era loss incidents, and from World War II.
To this day the Russians have failed to respond to requests for clear information on American POWs taken by or transfer to the Soviet Union.
The work of the U.S. Side of the Commission to resolve the transfer issue continues. Hopefully, at some point, circumstances will change to allow for a thorough, bilateral inquiry into this elusive question. In the meanwhile, we proceed with our efforts to examine the data we have, pursue new leads, and make our findings known through reports such as this. In a sense, we are not unlike the thousands, if not tens of thousands, of Russian citizens who have embarked on a similar quest to learn the facts about their own relatives who disappeared in the gulag. Ultimately, for them as for us, it is persistence which will shape the outcome of this often frustrating, occasionally promising, and always daunting enterprise.
President Obama was recently in Russia praising the Soviet Union. Perhaps his time might have been better spent bringing up unresolved issues such as this one. After all, in order to press the 'reset button' we either need to resolve issues like this one or just forget about them. Unfortunately, the President seems more eager to take the latter route, which will do nothing in terms of bringing out a better Russia as we move forward towards a modern peaceful future together.

I personally do not think that there are any living American POWs in the former Soviet Union, however Russia needs to come clean on the past and provide whatever information it has on Americans that were kidnapped (for lack of a better word) and whose lives ended in the Gulag. Russia is the sole holder of this information. If there was nothing to hide then why haven't they said so?

And just to keep in mind the potential size of the problem, take these two comments:

WWII:
Stalin learned what was happening and retaliated. He permanently "retained" the American and British soldiers whom he still held as bargaining chips. What did he do with them? He carted them to the Soviet Union where they lived the rest of their lives in the Russian gulags. How many American and British soldiers? Over 20,000 Americans and over 30,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers! In fact, as the authors of Soldiers of Misfortune point out: "Starting in 1945, the Soviet Union became the second-largest employer of American servicemen in the world." - fff.Org
Korea:
More than 8,100 American servicemen were never accounted for. Many of them presumably died in battle and their bodies were never recovered. For others, especially P.O.W.s that never came home, there has been speculation, based on documents later found in the Kremlin archives, that hundreds of U.S. servicemen were secretly held against their will. They were to be used as political pawns by the Chinese or Soviets or to be used for medical experiments, according to a report in Newsweek magazine. - SPTimes
As Americans we should demand and answer to this question.
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Sunday, August 23

Nazism/Stalinism Remembrance Day - 23 August


Earlier this year, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has come out and condemned both Nazism and Stalinism as being equally bad:
OSCE condemnes both Nazism and Stalinism

05.07.2009 - On Friday the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly passed a resolution that equates the Nazi regime with Soviet Stalinism. The resolution, titled “Reunification of divided Europe” and put forward by Lithuania and Slovenia, states that Europe has suffered from two totalitarian regimes: the Nazi and the Stalinist. Both brought about genocide and crimes against humanity. For a final and Europe-wide condemnation of totalitarianism, the OSCE resolution offered to set a Nazism/Stalinism remembrance day on August 23 . On 23. August 1939 Europe-dividing Molotov-Ribbentrop was signed by Germany and Soviet Union, dividing Europe between two dictators and paving way to the start of II World War. The resolution states so that both Stalin and Hitler were responsible for the start of this most devastating war. I can only agree to this point of view. - CommunistCrimes.Org
This resolution called for today, 23 August, the anniversary of the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, to be a day of Remembrance of all the victims of Hitler and Stalin.

As you can imagine, the Russians were not amused, and responded in typical fashion by threatening Europe:
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian lawmakers threatened the OSCE with "harsh" consequences on Saturday after the European security body's parliamentary arm condemned both Stalinism and fascism for starting World War Two.

Russia's delegates stormed out of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's annual parliamentary meeting after members passed the resolution, drafted by a delegate from the host nation Lithuania, a former Soviet satellite.

"This is nothing but an attempt to re-write the history of World War Two," Konstantin Kosachyov, who heads the foreign relations committee of Russia's lower house of parliament, told Interfax news agency.

"The reaction of the parliament to this document will be immediate and it will be harsh." - CommunistCrimes.Org
The Russian's response back home to questions about Russia's actions during World War II has been to criminalize the discussion of how Russia enslaved Eastern Europe at the end of the war.

Along with the calls to remember the victims of the joining of Nazism and Stalinism on this August 23rd, this his whole issue is yet another reminder that Russia has yet to go through an accounting of the Crimes of the Soviet Union like Nazi Germany went through. It is good that Europe has made this step. However, until Russia makes an honest accounting of it's Soviet past, we will not see any change in Russia's current behavior.

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Here is one image from the book 'RED primer for children and diplomats':


In 1939 a wonderful opportunity for world peace came from the most unexpected source. Although the Soviets opposed Fascist dictatorship and imperialism, they saw a means which could be used to further the ultimate triumph of the Communist brand of Socialism. A mutual non-aggression agreement was made with Hitler.

Hitler invaded Poland and the Soviets moved in to prevent the Nazis from taking over the whole country. The Soviets murdered some 11,000 Polish officers and intellectuals at Katyn Forest and peace and order were established in Poland, for a while. - Link
The Soviet Union was busy killing people well before Stalin made a deal with Hitler and was killing long after World War II. Here is a handy Desktop Wallpaper summarizing the 62 Million Deaths attributed to Soviet Rule:

You can find it here: The New American Myth

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Thursday, June 11

China Called. They Want Their Terrorists Back...

I have previously advocated that the US send the Chinese Uighurs that it holds in GITMO back to China. Now that the Government has found a home for them on Fantasy Island, the Chinese are demanding that they be sent back to China.
China has demanded the return of 17 Chinese Muslim Uighur detainees held by the United States at Guantanamo Bay.

America should "stop handing over terrorist suspects to any third country," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

Palau, a former US Pacific territory which does not recognise China, has agreed to accept the ethnic Uighurs. - BBC
As I mentioned before (here), the last time I checked, China is a Full Member of the United Nations right up to holding a permanent Seat on the UN's Security Council. What happens to the Chinese Uighurs upon their return to China by the US is not our problem. If the Chinese decide to torture the hell out of them, then they would surely be in violation of their commitments to the UN. The issue should be taken up there if the Uighurs end up being mistreated upon their return. Sure it sucks to be them, but if China is really a problem, then they should be confronted about this at the UN. That is why it exists.

The news likes to point out that these Chinese detainees are not 'enemy combatants' and are not dangerous to the US. Problem is, they were not in Afghanistan attending a wedding. They were there getting terrorist training. Just because their target is not the US does not make them harmless. What if they were training to strike France? Would the US still call them not dangerous? China has declared them terrorists. Don't they have a right to get them back? They surely think so.
Beijing says Uighur insurgents are leading an Islamic separatist movement.

China says the 17 due to be sent from Guantanamo to Palau are members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which is on the United Nations list of terrorist groups.

"China urges the US to implement the UN Security Council's relevant resolutions and its international obligations on counter-terrorism," Mr Qin said. - BBC
If the US does anything with the Uighurs, they should use them as bargining chips, trading them to get the Chinese to turn the screws on North Korea. At any rate, they should go back to China. If China tortures them, it is only our and the UN's fault for not pushing human rights reform more strongly in the past.
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Wednesday, May 13

Estonia's Other Statue

Everyone knows about the Soviet 'Bronze Soldier' memorial that was moved in Tallinn a while back. This was a memorial erected in Estonia's Capital by the Soviet Union to remember the Soviet soldiers who died during fighting to take the Estonian State from the Nazis (for incorporation into Stalin's Soviet Union).

Of course, idiotic Russians claim that the memorial is to honor those who 'liberated' Estonia from the Nazis. One could say that the Soviet Union did do that. The only problem was that the Soviets then failed to give the Estonians their country back.

However, you have probably never heard about this other memorial located in Tallinn, which also happened to be unceremoniously removed. This would be:

The Memorial for Teachers and Students Perished
during the War of Independence



A sculpture commemorating the teachers and students who gave their lives in the War of Independence. This was one of the first monuments that the Soviets removed after occupying Estonia in 1940. Students of Tallinn kept honoring it by laying flowers where it had stood. Many of these students were arrested and never seen again. All monuments honoring the heroes of the War of Independence were either destroyed or removed by the Soviets. This particular one was returned to its place of honor in a slightly damaged condition after the end of the first Soviet occupation. It was again removed immediately after the Soviet invasion in 1944. - ESTONIA, A Nation Unconquered, by Aarand Roos
The statue in the photo is not the original one. That one was destroyed by the Soviets. This one was rebuilt in the 1990's after they finally managed to take back their freedom from Soviet domination.


P.S.
All this happened well after the 1920 Peace Treaty signed between Russia and Estonia, which included the following statement:

Article II

In consequence of the right of all peoples to self-determination, to the point of seceding completely from the State of which they form part, a right proclaimed by the Socialist and Federal Russian Republic of the Soviets, Russia unreservedly recognises the independence and sovereignty of the State of Estonia, and renounces voluntarily and for ever all sovereign rights possessed by Russia over the Estonian people and territory whether these rights be based on the juridical position that formerly existed in public law, or in the international treaties which, in the sense here indicated, lose their validity in future. - Treaty of Tartu

The Estonians would be good to demand that Russia re-confirm their intent to honor this Treaty, for whatever good it will do. With that, this whole issue is another reminder that Russia has yet to go through an accounting of the Crimes of the Soviet Union like Nazi Germany went through.

Previous:
Russian Actions against Estonia a Reminder that the Crimes of Communism Still Need to be Investigated

Europe's Lingering Scar of Communism

Link:
They were Soviets, right? - CDR Salamander which has the following joke:
Reminds me of the one Estonian joke I know. In the 1980s DC you head into a bar and sit next to some drunk old man with a funny accent. You strike up a conversation, note his accent, and ask him where he is from. He stands up straight and says;
I am from Estonia; the world's most powerful nation!
Funny, you think to yourself - never heard of it. He continues;
Our government is in North America, our land is in Europe and most of our population is in Siberia!

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Remembering the Soviet Union v.1
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Sunday, May 3

Books Read - 2008

Here are the books that I managed to finish reading during 2008.


FAREWELL MILAG
SHIP OF MIRACLES
THE FORGOTTEN HEROS
MERCY SHIPS
SOUTH FROM CORREGIDOR
EXCHANGE SHIP
DISMANTLING UTOPIA
GUESTS OF THE AYATOLLAH
All of the books are maritime related except for the last two which cover the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Iran hostage crisis. They were all good reads. I flew through most of the books except DISMANTLING UTOPIA, which at least in parts was a hard slog. It was very interesting, just that I had to force my way through a couple parts that I was not very interested in. Still, the book was the inspiration for two posts here. (The Soviet Union Couldn't Handle Milk Production Either and Putin's Inconvenient Memorial)

Currently I am reading THE DEADLY EMBRACE which is about the alliance between Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Soviet Union.
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