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It was a probably a combo of things, but the images of Ukrainians tearing down statues of Lenin right after the winter Olympics (in Russia!) has to be near the

by snomad 9y ago

It was a probably a combo of things, but the images of Ukrainians tearing down statues of Lenin right after the winter Olympics (in Russia!) has to be near the top.

cmrdporcupine 9y ago
From my understanding, Lenin and the 1917 Bolsheviks are not sacrosanct or particularly welcome in Putin's nationalist, capitalist, Russia. The 100th anniversary of the Russian October revolution just passed, with minimal and lukewarm remembrance from the official state. BBC ran a whole series of segments on this, interviewing school children and ordinary Russians and state officials -- knowledge of the 1917 Revolution was thin. Stalin, different story, because he fits into the 'Great Russian' nationalist narrative -- and was the leader during the Great Patriotic War.
- eps 9y ago
  > Stalin, different story, because he fits into the 'Great Russian' nationalist narrative -- and was the leader during the Great Patriotic War. Dead wrong. Stalin is remembered first and foremost for the great purge of 1937, inducing famine in Ukraine and displacing people en masse. His most notable "contribution" to WW2 was his complete silence during the first few days that followed June 22nd. He abandoned his duties as the supreme commander at the moment when he was needed the most. In my age group it is generally accepted that WW2 was won by generals and marshals despite Stalin being at the helm rather than because of it. Stalin is remembered for his cruelty and cowardice, not his leadership. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Purge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Purge
  - cmrdporcupine 9y ago
    That may be how history in the west remembers him (and probably a large number of people in Russia as well), but that is not my impression of how he is framed by the Russian regime today or press today. Take a look at https://www.rt.com/politics/394158-russians-name-stalin-most-outstanding/ https://www.rt.com/politics/394158-russians-name-stalin-most...
  - Muromec 9y ago
    >Stalin is remembered first and foremost for the great purge of 1937, inducing famine in Ukraine and displacing people en masse. That's in other countries. In Russia he is remembered for WW2. Official narrative is something like "yep, he killed some people and was wrong sometimes, but they were reabilitated some 30-50 years after, so what's up", BUT he won WW2.
    - eps 9y ago
      No, what I said applies specifically to how he is viewed by Russians. Not the official media, but the actual people.

by snomad 9y ago

It was a probably a combo of things, but the images of Ukrainians tearing down statues of Lenin right after the winter Olympics (in Russia!) has to be near the top.

cmrdporcupine 9y ago

From my understanding, Lenin and the 1917 Bolsheviks are not sacrosanct or particularly welcome in Putin's nationalist, capitalist, Russia. The 100th anniversary of the Russian October revolution just passed, with minimal and lukewarm remembrance from the official state. BBC ran a whole series of segments on this, interviewing school children and ordinary Russians and state officials -- knowledge of the 1917 Revolution was thin. Stalin, different story, because he fits into the 'Great Russian' nationalist narrative -- and was the leader during the Great Patriotic War.

eps 9y ago
> Stalin, different story, because he fits into the 'Great Russian' nationalist narrative -- and was the leader during the Great Patriotic War. Dead wrong. Stalin is remembered first and foremost for the great purge of 1937, inducing famine in Ukraine and displacing people en masse. His most notable "contribution" to WW2 was his complete silence during the first few days that followed June 22nd. He abandoned his duties as the supreme commander at the moment when he was needed the most. In my age group it is generally accepted that WW2 was won by generals and marshals despite Stalin being at the helm rather than because of it. Stalin is remembered for his cruelty and cowardice, not his leadership. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Purge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Purge
- cmrdporcupine 9y ago
  That may be how history in the west remembers him (and probably a large number of people in Russia as well), but that is not my impression of how he is framed by the Russian regime today or press today. Take a look at https://www.rt.com/politics/394158-russians-name-stalin-most-outstanding/ https://www.rt.com/politics/394158-russians-name-stalin-most...
- Muromec 9y ago
  >Stalin is remembered first and foremost for the great purge of 1937, inducing famine in Ukraine and displacing people en masse. That's in other countries. In Russia he is remembered for WW2. Official narrative is something like "yep, he killed some people and was wrong sometimes, but they were reabilitated some 30-50 years after, so what's up", BUT he won WW2.
  - eps 9y ago
    No, what I said applies specifically to how he is viewed by Russians. Not the official media, but the actual people.