Boroda,
I do not have the time for the lengthy responce now.
I lived in Kharkov, Ukraine. That was a russian-speaking city, the 3rd significant industrial and educational city in USSR.
My parents are and engineer and a college professor. My family had constant correspondence with our relatives in US since 1970, though they hid it from me until I was old enough to keep my mouth shut.
I left Ukraine in 1989 and came to US in 1990 at the age of 24.
I got a Masters in C.S. here on top of my soviet degree in Electronics and now I am a programmer (surprise!).
I consider myself an american - my English is probably better then that of the most people where I live (New York
), I probably paid more taxes already then average american pays during his career
. My external political views are typically american - not discernible with a naked eye.
I have no idea what "mazhor" means - not a musical term, I guess. What does it really mean?
I served in the Soviet Army in 1984-1986. I was demobilized from Belorussia on April 28, 1986 - two days after Chernobyl blew up few dosen miles away. Rather then go home I chose to spend the 1st of May holiday with my army friend in neaby Minsk - the capital of Belorussia.
There was a huge selebration, hundreds of thousands of people demonstrating outside. There was absolutely no indication of any kind of danger.
On May 2nd I left for home and arrived to Kharkov. In two weeks people found out that something happened, though not the extent of it.
In our city all the radiation counters in the offices that had them became controlled stricter then Xerox machines or typewriters. Those asking for them got friendly talk about spreading unwarranted panic.
Number of soldiers fighting in Afganistan and number of casualties was not known even to the direct participants until the Glasnost. In first-person view it was sometimes obvious that we were not helping the peacefull population against "american agressors" at their own request.
Not that coming home the veterans freely discussed their findings and observations, at least not until the same Glastnost. Even then most prefered to keep their mouths shut and tried to forget what they did.
Because suddenly "dukhi" became noble "freedom fighters" and we became butchers of innocent civilians, just like the US vietnam Vets but with more reason. Now that the "freedom fighters" are bringing their war onto the soil of the former USSR, the people must be really confused who the hell is the bad guy...
I agree that the Voice of America's and Deithsche Vella's (sp?) broadcasts were quite inept. The numbers how much an average worker earned and paid for various things would be very usefull for those who believed them.
Yes, everything was getting worse each year, but that was the fault of the capitalists - we had to arm ourselves to keep the world peace!
My vision of Russian TV is just exact descripion of what I saw once at my in-laws. I do not watch it. I have no idea whether it is representative of the whole. I was just surprised by the tone with wich she mentioned complete and obvious falsehood as accepted fact.
Of course the intellectual elite was more knowlegeable and skeptical then I described. I thought all people were like that until I went I went to the serve in the army after 2 years in college. There I met real people and had to live among them for quite a while.
Even among the intellectuals there was never hope for any change or any activity other then retyping of some books. The whole Perestroika thing was quite a surprise for most, I am sure M. Gorbachev did not expect such spectacular results of his little "liberalisation experiment" eiter.
I am sure that our experiences could be quite different in the same country. The driver of my tank retired from the army to marry a wife his parents bought him. When we met, I did not think such things existed in Soviet Union and he did not know how many republics there were in USSR or where America, let alone Israel was.
You probably know, Pavel, that life in Moskow and Leningrad - two capitals of USSR wass in no way indicative of the life in the rest of the country. I lived in a major city myself and felt the difference.
Hard to buy a receiver? How about two years without a toothpaste? One of the three bycicle factories in the USSR was in Kharkov and it took me 2 years to catch one on sale?
Our VEF (not bought in Kharkov) had 21 and 17 meter bands that were blanketed around the clock. But there are not 2 SW but at least 5 bands on which there were broadcasts.
Anyway, I am writing posts here, not dissertations. So my statements may seem less objective and more partial than they really are - cannot cover every angle. Take them with a grain of salt and do not hesitate to ask for explanations.
I am learning a lot about you people from such discussions, whether I agree with the views or not.
US is not a friend of Russia. Russia is doing plenry of things detrimental to american interests. Most disconcerning is supplying nuclear technology to the fundamental muslim regimes that are openly hostile to the USA. But it is definitely not an enemy - not to the politicians and not in the public minds.
I heard on TV recently - NBC's Olympic Broadcasts Ratings are way lower then expected. Here is (their) explanation - "People are not interested because there are no villains in the world any more to have strong feelings about. When russian sportsmen lose, we just feel sorry for them."
Regards,
miko
[This message has been edited by miko2d (edited 09-28-2000).]
