Mein Lieber Kamerad

The take of history
Грабли истории.
Fateful moments of history. Epic music.
Make or break.
Carpe diem.
Memento mori.
Be happy, but be careful.



Mein Lieber Kamerad

Hey Guys! 84 years ago, on June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany and its allies broke the non-aggression pact with the USSR and attacked all over the border line. Soon after the war called The Great Patriotic in the USSR and brought suffering and casualties that Russia had never seen before. Fortunately Nazi Germany was totally defeated in 1945 due to common efforts of the USSR, the USA, Great Britain and other allies.
Now I fill something strange about modern world than I can't explain myself so far. And of course I wouldn't ever thought that German tanks could have gone over Russian land again. I would have laughed if someone told me that when I was a kid or even a few years ago. God bless the World, I hope.

3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 13

Mein Lieber Kamerad

Hey, Guys! On June 14, 1941 – People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR V. Molotov stated: "Only an idiot could now think about attacking the Soviet Union"
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June 14, 1941 – TASS officially declared rumors about Germany's preparations for war against the USSR a provocation:

"... rumors about the "imminence of war between the USSR and Germany" began to circulate in the English and foreign press in general. According to these rumors: 1) Germany allegedly presented territorial and economic claims to the USSR... 2) the USSR allegedly rejected these claims, in connection with which Germany began to concentrate its troops on the borders of the USSR with the aim of attacking the USSR; 3) The Soviet Union, in turn, allegedly began to intensively prepare for war with Germany and is concentrating troops on the latter's borders...
TASS states that:

1) Germany has not made any claims against the USSR...
2) According to the USSR, Germany is also steadfastly observing the terms of the Soviet-German non-aggression pact...
3) The USSR, as follows from its peace policy, has observed and intends to observe the terms of the Soviet-German non-aggression pact, in view of which rumors that the USSR is preparing for war with Germany are false and provocative;
4) The current summer training camps for the Red Army reserves and the upcoming maneuvers have as their goal nothing other than training reserves and testing the work of the railway apparatus, which are carried out, as is known, every year, in view of which it is at the very least absurd to portray these activities of the Red Army as hostile to Germany."

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June 14, 1941 – the German Supreme Command gave the final orders to attack the USSR.

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Asymmetry of political action...

4 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 9

Mein Lieber Kamerad

Hey, guys! On May 8, Europe and the United States celebrate the day of victory over Germany in World War II.
“The treaty signed at Reims(the act of surrender signed on May 7) cannot be canceled, but it cannot be recognized either. Surrender must be committed as the most important historical act and accepted not on the territory of the victors, but where the fascist aggression came from - in Berlin, and not unilaterally, but necessarily by the supreme command of all countries of the anti-Hitler coalition". Joseph Stalin addressing the allies.
The second act was signed on the night of May 8-9 in Karlshorst, a suburb of Berlin. Marshal Georgy Zhukov and Marshal Arthur Tedder accepted this from the allies. From the German Field Marshal, Chief of Staff of the Wehrmacht High Command Wilhelm Keitel.
The time and date of surrender in both acts are identical (11.01 pm Berlin time or 1.01 am Moscow). Since then, Victory Day has been celebrated on May 8 in Europe, and on May 9 in USSR (Russia) due to the difference in time zones between Berlin and Moscow.
“Today, perhaps, we will think more about ourselves. And tomorrow we must pay tribute to our Russian comrades, whose courage on the battlefield has become one of the most important components of our common victory". Winston Churchill addressing the nation on May 8, 1945.
Thus ended World War II in Europe. In the Soviet Union, it was considered the Great Patriotic War. In addition, it is widely believed in the USSR and modern Russia that the Soviet Union entered World War II in 1941, not 1939. However, most professional historians tend to regard 1939 as the more scientifically based view.
Many historians believe that the USSR managed to survive and then win only thanks to lend-lease from the USA and Great Britain, the resilience of the Red Army and the people, and the ability to over-mobilize the Stalinist regime to the detriment of the civil development of Soviet society.
There is an opinion that if such a high quality of interaction between the allies had been established in 1914-18, the tsarist regime in the Russian Empire could well have survived, and the German Empire would have capitulated earlier.
China is still quite far from European affairs. And for most of the 20th century it was even more obvious. The Second World War continued there until September 1945. The Japanese Kwantung Army, which had occupied the north of China for decades before, was defeated by the Soviet army with a lightning strike in August 45. However, the civil war in China, which had been going on throughout the second quarter of the 20th century, was completed only in October 1950.
The coming to power in Beijing of the Communists, led by Mao Zedong, became possible thanks to massive support from the Soviet Union. The long war in China ended, but the country was still waiting for the main "joys" of the totalitarian system - the "great leap" (industrialization, collectivization and famine), the cult of the personality of the leader, the cultural revolution and political terror against tens of millions of dissatisfied people (about 100 million in total).
The modern Chinese Communist Party condemns the cultural revolution initiated by Mao Zedong. Xi Jinping's April 1, 2019 article in the Chinese Communist Party magazine "Qiushi" ("In Search of Truth") noted that the CCP had made "big mistakes" such as the "cultural revolution" in its time.

3 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 20

Mein Lieber Kamerad

Hey, guys! On May 7, 1945, representatives of the German government and military command signed the act of unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. The Second World War in Europe is over.
Already in 1943-44, it became clear to the German command that the continuation of the war and resistance to the allies was pointless. And at the end of April 1945 there was no longer any doubt about this.
The capture of Berlin by the Soviet troops, the death of Hitler and a number of odious figures of the Nazi regime, and then the change of the German government opened the possibility for a virtual end to the war.
The Germans tried to negotiate with the Americans and the British in order to gain time for the evacuation of the population and troops to the west, but under pressure from the Allied command, they urgently capitulated.
The act of unconditional surrender came into force at 11.01 pm May 8 Berlin time. However, not everything went smoothly. The Germans had to "surrender twice". The first act of unconditional surrender was signed on 7 May at Reims in France.
This fact outraged Stalin, as insufficiently reflecting the primary role of the USSR in the defeat of Germany. In addition, Stalin was indignant because the document was signed in France, outside of Germany. He demanded to re-sign the document in the "very heart" of the defeated Third Reich. And the Allies agreed...

3 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 21

Mein Lieber Kamerad

Hey, guys! In the past few days, this situation in the world has forced me to start revisiting a number of my philosophical views, which seemed to me to be firm earlier. I will try to share this with you over time.
I saw a lot of publications that say on behalf of official officials and not only that the Russians should be held accountable. Well, in this case, it becomes scary for me to imagine what kind of responsibility those leaders of the "collective West" who have been clapping Vlad on the shoulder and vying with each other happily shook his hand for the past couple of decades. And all these years, Vlad burned out all the sprouts of civil society in Russia, repressed political opponents, undermined the value of legal institutions and rigged all elections. There were even actions abroad, like with Litvinenko or the Skrepals, and much more. And every time - no sanctions against him. Thank you for the smiling "bearers of the true values ​​of democracy and goodness" who helped to nurture this regime of unbearable tyranny in our country. And when a few days ago, sanctions were personally imposed against him, it became absolutely incomprehensible to me - why at that moment? At the same time, the "countries of the free world" began an economic war against the remnants of the Russian middle class. This was the best means to finally push the whole country into the clutches of a ruthless autocrat! Let's wait and see what happens next.
After all, Russian society has finally come under a simultaneous blow from the tyranny of the Putin's regime and, on the other hand, from the greedy and deceitful elites in the US and EU.
This is what we will not forget, not forgive!

3 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 21

Mein Lieber Kamerad

I am shocked and did not believe until the last that such a thing was possible. Well, there really is something good in this. Now the Putins regime has been dealt such a blow that it will not last long. I hope so. #please #stop the #war

3 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 29

Mein Lieber Kamerad

Hey, guys! As you know that my English is very poor. But I want to learn. I study. But already now I want to try to make a small video in English. Who can help me? Could you voice a small text for my video.

4 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 25

Mein Lieber Kamerad

Hey guys! 121 years ago, on August 14, 1900, during the suppression of the "ihetuani" (or other name for "boxers") uprising, coalition troops liberated (or captured?) the capital of the Qing empire, Beijing, and lifted the siege from the embassy quarter.
The uprising began in November 1899. The imperial troops sent to suppress it were defeated by the rebels or hastily retreated. Against the backdrop of a dangerous situation, foreign diplomatic missions in Beijing requested troops from their metropolises for their protection. Sailors and marines from ships stationed off the coast of China (75 French, 74 Russians, 63 Americans, 50 Germans, 28 Italians, and 25 Japanese) arrived in the Embassy Quarter. The majority of foreigners and many Chinese Christians moved to the territory of the Ambassador Quarter by the end of May. But the detachment that was to fight numbered only 450 men. It was headed by the English envoy Claude MacDonald.
On June 5, 1900, the Ihetuan entered Beijing, and the situation in the city began to escalate, minor conflicts on the streets of the city became more frequent. Then it became known that the Chinese troops went over to the side of the rebels, and the Qing government concluded a secret agreement with them for joint actions against foreigners. On June 13, 20 German soldiers attacked the idol, where the rebels were performing their mysteries, and killed 7 Chinese, which finally provoked the ihetuan to begin massacres and storm foreign outposts in Beijing. The next day, the Austrian embassy was burned, then the Dutch mission was destroyed.
On June 20, the German ambassador Ketteler was killed, after which fierce battles began near all the embassies. Some embassies have even been taken over by the Chinese. However, the Russian and American missions were soon repulsed, and the Austrian and Italian missions remained in the hands of the rebels. The corpses of the slain Ichtuanians, lying in abundance around them, were not cleaned for a long time and began to decompose. Soon the initiative began to pass into the hands of the besieged. Increasingly, they made daring sorties, inflicting sensitive damage on the besiegers.
On July 17, the Chinese announced a truce that lasted a week. Representatives of the Qing government repeatedly visited the besieged embassies, inviting them to leave Beijing. The Chinese brought gifts and treats, including from the Empress Cixi herself, who was finally convinced of the powerlessness of the ichetuan before the troops of the "Western countries." However, she did not lose hope to get out of this situation "without losing face." At the court, the struggle of groups that advocated peace or war with foreigners intensified. As a result, it was not clear whether the Qing government was fighting against foreigners or defending them. The shelling alternated with gifts: decrees ordering the expelling of the "barbarians" were replaced by orders to protect missions and compensate them for material losses. In July in Beijing, more than a hundred people were executed for belonging to secret societies, while some of the major Chinese dignitaries who opposed the war with foreigners were also executed.
In early August, in connection with the approach of the coalition forces to Beijing, fighting intensified, but it was clear to everyone that the siege would soon be lifted. On August 7, it became known that the former governor of Zhili province had been removed. This territory adjoined the capital of the empire, and the positions of the ihetuan were especially strong here. The new governor was Li Hongzhang, who was an opponent of the ihetuan.
Throughout the night of August 13, the Chinese attacked desperately, trying to take the missions by storm, but in vain. On the morning of August 14, the defenders of the Ambassadorial Quarter counterattacked the Chinese positions towards the advancing coalition forces. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, their vanguards approached the Ambassador Quarter. The siege was lifted. The total losses of the international detachment defending the embassies in the two months of the siege amounted to 75 killed and 170 wounded.
Beijing was occupied by coalition forces. The assault was accompanied by plunder and looting, including the Forbidden City (the residence of the emperor). After that, the allies vied with each other to accuse each other of unbridled barbarism and savagery. As a result of hostilities, a special "Final Protocol" was concluded, the first paragraph of which the Qing government was obliged to apologize to Germany and erect a monument to the murdered ambassador at the place of his death. Prince Chun, father of the last Emperor Puyi, traveled to Germany as ambassador extraordinary to express the regret of Emperor Guangxiu over von Kettler's death to Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Paifang or "memorial gate", called the Ketteler Memorial (in German: Ketteler-Denkmal), was erected exactly at the place of the death of the diplomat. Work on the gate began on June 25, 1901 and was completed on January 8, 1903.
On November 13, 1918, two days after Germany signed the Compiegne Armistice with the Allies, which meant Germany's inability to continue to fight in World War I, the Ketteler Memorial was officially abolished. (But why is it so late? After all, China had fought on the side of the Entente since 1917. Not surprising - because until the last months of the war there was a feeling in the world that Germany was winning.) In the following 1919, the "gate" was moved to the modern Zhongshan Park and renamed "Victory Gate of Justice” (in Chinese: 公理 戰勝 牌坊). In 1953, on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference in Beijing, the complex was again renamed the "Peace Gate" and has survived to this day.
Based on the story of the siege of the embassy quarter, American director Nicholas Ray made the epic film "55 Days at Peking". The film was nominated for an Oscar: Dmitry Tyomkin (Best Song and Best Music). But he was not destined to receive the fifth gold statuette in his career.

4 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 16

Mein Lieber Kamerad

Hey, guys! 84 years ago, on August 13, 1937, during the Second Sino - Japanese War, Japanese troops captured Beijing. It is curious that exactly 37 years before, but on August 14, coalition troops, including the Japanese, also captured Beijing during the suppression of the Ihetuan uprising.
Some historians criticize the Eurocentric or "Western" reading of history. They believe that the beginning of the Second World War should be counted from this Sino - Japanese conflict, and not from the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany and the USSR in September 1939. What do you think about this?

4 years ago | [YT] | 20

Mein Lieber Kamerad

Hey guys! Please tell me. How to correctly convey the phrase "rake of history"in English? The context here is such (on the scale of a country or a large society) that only a complete fool steps on the rake many times and gets hit on the forehead every time, expecting different results. And despite this experience, he continues to do it again and again. What should be the phrase to sound natural and understandable for native English speakers?

4 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 11