Top-5 Myths About the Soviet Union #2 - Cold War Documentary

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Our historical documentary series on the history of the Cold War continues with a second part of our video on the Top-5 false myths about the Soviet Union.
What Happened to the German and Japanese POWs?: • What Happened to the G...
Operation Paperclip: • Operation Paperclip - ...
German Expulsions: • German Expulsions Afte...
Soviet Education System: • Soviet Education Syste...
How Khrushchev Fed the Soviet People: • How Khrushchev Fed the...
Novocherkassk Massacre 1962: • Novocherkassk Massacre...
Soviet Tourism: • Soviet Tourism: How di...
Soviet Passport System: New Serfdom or Reform?: • Soviet Passport System...
Kaliningrad: How Russia Got a Stronghold in Europe: • Kaliningrad: How Russi...
How the Soviets Won the Early Space Race: • How the Soviets Won th...
Soviet Television and Radio: • Soviet Television and ...
Top-5 Myths About the Soviet Union: • Top-5 Myths About the ...
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#ColdWar #SovietUnion #Myths
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[@TheColdWarTV]

Head to brilliant.org/TheColdWar/ to get started for free with Brilliant s interactive lessons. The first 200 people will also get 20% off an annual membership

[@pyeitme508]

Meh

[@Marinealver]

10:14 would be an interesting video as well as US Intelligence Agencies that aren't CIA. 10:25 Also primary intelligence agencies of significant world players (aka Mossad) would be another great video.

[@brokenbridge6316]

Merry Christmas The Cold War

[@DevinBrooking]

Could you make an episode on Antarctica during the cold war

[@pat8988]

Cold War, please turn down the music. 🙉

[@Year2047]

Can we get ten myths the Soviet Union thought about everyone else?

[@NandiCollector]

This comment needs to be pinned! ;)

[@ShubhamMishrabro]

Good suggestion

[@jhoughjr1]

great idea.

[@jlvfr]

Great idea.

[@thorthewolf8801]

More like propaganda of the soviet union

[@crudohr]

I would love to see future in depth videos on the other Warsaw Pact countries and their individual societies during the Cold War. Great Channel!!

[@henrya3530]

Old Russian anecdote - A man is handing out leaflets in Red Square. It is not long before a KGB squad turn up and haul him off to the Lubyanka. The interrogating officer says "OK dissident scum, let me see the leaflets." The man hands them over but when the officer looks at them he finds they are just blank sheets of paper. "What is the meaning of this?" he asks. The man replies "Why bother wasting ink and printing anything? Everyone knows what the problem is."

[@Hand-in-Shot_Productions]

I laughed at this joke! This would be a useful way to protest against ink shortages!

[@bellafortuna3995]

So decades have passed and nothing has changed. Thank you for sharing this insightful story.

[@etwas013]

And what was the problem? That evil government didn't allow them to all be millionaires, as in the US?

[@Artur_M.]

Fun fact: at 15:30 you can see the slogan "For our freedom and yours" in Russian, a motto which originated in XIX century during the Polish uprisings against the Russian Empire, when the Polish insurgents (at least some of them) wanted to stress that they consider the tsarist despotism to be their enemy, not the Russian people (it was also used by Polish volunteers joining verious revolutions and uprisings abroad). Edit: actually in the version used on both transparents it's "For your and our freedom".

[@user-le4tl5fw7c]

And it's still very popular at least in russian-speaking countries. like during 2014 protests in Moscow against the war with Ukraine or in 2020 in Belarus and in belorussian diasporas against the Lukashenko's regime. There were large protests in Khabarovsk on russian far east every saturday in august 2020 and simulteneously in Minsk every sunday, so they like communicatad through 9000 kilometrs with those broadsheets or transparents or chants, using this motto as well

[@Artur_M.]

@@user-le4tl5fw7c It's uplifting to know that this motto lives on but it's also depressing that it's still so much needed. Today I was deeply saddened to learn what happened to the Memorial society.

[@mt1885]

Fun fact - *GULAG* so no need to worry about a job they put tens of millions in there and got their 'Free' labor.

[@gofar5185]

@@mt1885 you still choose to live in lies...

[@mt1885]

@@gofar5185 That is why it fails as it is a lie.

[@balletshoes]

Regarding travelling abroad - it wasn't impossible, yet it was made to be so difficult that for the bulk of the population it sits next to impossible. It is human nature to view things that are really difficult to execute as impossible. On paper, these myths are one thing, but for a person who lived those myths as their reality, it felt 'slightly' different.

[@mpetersen6]

One possible way for a worker in the USSR to travel widely was as a merchant seaman. Although I suspect they were very carefully watched in Western ports of call.

[@balletshoes]

@@mpetersen6 so true, my uncle was one for decades. But we are talking about people travelling for holiday, not for work.

[@mpetersen6]

@@balletshoes I understand that. But it was pointed out that early on most (if not all) Soviet citizens that traveled outside of the USSR were doing so pretty much on state business. One exception being spouses/families of diplomatic personnel.

[@balletshoes]

@@mpetersen6 yes, I remember it being specifically mentioned which is why I found it peculiar you should talk about merchant seamen being able to travel through the nature of their profession as it is still a job. same as an air hostess which was yet another way for a worker to travel.

[@euunul]

Traveling abroad is impossible for most people in most countries. Because is expensive. Even more expensive in Cold War era. If you weren't an upper middle-class you couldn't afford to travel to another country.

[@HistoryOfRevolutions]

"Busy remaking the world, man forgot to remake himself" - Andrei Platonov

[@user-cx1ki8li4t]

Many events in the video are related to Andropov. He had led KGB for 15 years and launched the afghan war . In addition, he played an important role in the Hungarian incident. HE is a mysterious leader. I've always wanted to study his story.

[@adamosak6864]

The Hungarian incident? Where the Soviets slaughtered protestors with tanks and machine guns? Kind of like the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989

[@walterreeves3679]

@@adamosak6864 You might keep in mind that English may not be the first language of the person you're responding to. English is a notoriously nuanced, not to say ambiguous and confusing, tongue.

[@user-cx1ki8li4t]

@walter reeves:I could understand what he meant. When I was a child, I asked my mother about it. She told me that I should wait until I was old enough to think, so I didn't respond

[@walterreeves3679]

@@user-cx1ki8li4t Apologies. My comment was not intended as any reflection on you. Rather, I was criticizing Adam Osak's presumption regarding your use of the term "incident". As a matter of fact, the description of the Hungarian Revolution as an incident of history is perfectly valid. Osak's complaint is rooted in the vernacular of English and assumes a familiarity with informal expression and nuance that is the province of the native speaker. As such it is itself an expression of a provincial and culturally blinkered perspective. It presumes an intent to diminish the significance of the Hungarian events that I do not believe was any part of your comment. It reminds me of the stereotype of the English speaking tourist who thinks they can make themselves understood simply by repeating themselves at ever increasing volume. A stereotype which, I regret to say from my own experience, is far too often accurate.

[@user-cx1ki8li4t]

@walter reeves：Thank you for your explanation. In fact, in my native language, the name of this like Hungarian Revolution , but I'm describing Andropov, so I decided to create a name more suitable for Andropov. Oh, I think I should reduce similar ideas later.😓😓😓

[@seppohirvonen1864]

I made several two week business trips during Brezhnev-time from Finland to Moscow and even lived there one year 1992-93. I saw that Russian people learned to live in the system using the black market. For instance during the shortage in the state shops the they said "no light bulbs", but outside a person came to me and asked if I needed light bulbs. He had developed a stock of bulbs earlier or he was working for the shop management, meaning that shop already got the products but they could still get profit by selling it thorough black market.

[@mpetersen6]

I remember seeing a comment in the 70s or 80s that every Soviet citizen could legally receive 1 item of mail from a foreign country. The suggestion was that the US should send every citizen a Sears catalog.

[@TribuneAquila]

Big Sears propaganda

[@mpetersen6]

@@TribuneAquila The statement certainly was not from a Sears executive. It was Jerry Pournelle.

[@Big1nz]

Goes to show how little Americans understood about anything besides being a exploited consumer

[@krthecarguy5150]

These are incredibly interesting! Maybe it'd be interesting to make a similar video about misconceptions in the USSR about the US/NATO/the west? Idk if there are any major ones but it would be interesting to watch

[@mycaleb8]

@lati long This is just bad info.

[@mycaleb8]

@lati long Rightfully. Bush screwed over Russia hard.

[@tng2057]

I recalled checking in a seaside resort at Romania in the early 80s and the couple in front of me holding Soviet passports clad in swimsuits only during check in, and they clad in the same swimsuits everywhere in the resort all day in the next few days. Their dream and enviable holiday.

[@tng2057]

@lati long It was likely that the middle age couple drove from current day Moldova to the resort (at Romanian Black Sea Coast) as I saw a lot of Ladas, Volgas, Tetras, Skodas and Wartburgs with Comecon countries number plates parked at the hotel. From memory the gentleman was wearing blue conservative swimming trunks, and the lady was wearing yellow 1950s style two piece.

[@kayzeaza]

I’d love to hear more about the China-Russia border and the types of conflicts that arose from it

[@badluck5647]

Mongolia enters the room.

[@user-cx1ki8li4t]

@C D：Although the Soviet Union put a lot of troops in Mongolia to fight China, it did not hurt Mongolia, because before that, there were many Soviets in Mongolia (they worked in factories and mines). There is a rumor that in 1969, the Mongols killed some Han people to Payback China for the Soviet Union, but I did not find evidence，Maybe it's not true.

[@user-cx1ki8li4t]

After Russia's independence from the Soviet Union, China negotiated with him peacefully and ended the territorial dispute. China and the Soviet Union had many problems in territorial disputes, but the impact of the border conflict was limited. The border conflict broke out in 1969, but China bought advanced fighters from CCCP(ussr) in 1970. In 1971, the Soviet Union supported the CPC get the five permanent seats. Many historians believe that the border conflict between China and the Soviet Union led China to turn to the United States and Japan. In fact, China and the United States established diplomatic relations in 1979. China has liked Japan since the 1950s.😓😓😓

[@thunderbird1921]

Read up on the 1969 border clash over a set of islands in one of the bordering rivers. It nearly caused a nuclear war between Brezhnev and Mao. Nixon stepping in may have been the only reason it didn't happen.

[@gofar5185]

@@badluck5647 hahaha

[@sobolanul96]

A joke as heard at Radio Yerevan: Boris and Sergei were reading a newspaper. - Hey Boris, it says here that in 10 years every soviet citizen will be able to afford a helicopter instead of a car. - Wow! Can you imagine that? They stock boots at Kiev, you jump in the helicopter and go to Kiev. They stock shoelaces for the boots at Leningrad? You jump in the helicopter and go to Leningrad.

[@RandomGuy-jo8ky]

I think that the "can't leave" part stemmed a lot from the Berlin Wall and people conflating that with the actual USSR. The main issue there being that the West would grant citizenship and was causing economic harm, and it was literally right there.

[@adamosak6864]

Huh? They west allows free association and is a free market....so a nice peaceful Soviet wall was erected to keep the clearly better Communist system.... Man, you're a liar and not too bright

[@RandomGuy-jo8ky]

@@adamosak6864 Was that meant to be in English?

[@kyleplatter8954]

@@RandomGuy-jo8ky with your level of English it makes sense you couldn’t tell.

[@RandomGuy-jo8ky]

@@kyleplatter8954 The irony in what you wrote and HOW you wrote is pathetic. But always trust the stupid to be lazy. EDIT: I just clicked on what I think is your ACTUAL photo. I apologize for not realizing that you were authentically mentally disabled as your face shows. I apologize and should be more sensitive to the mentally disabled community.

[@earthwormscrawl]

I was born in 1960 and the Cold War was a constant backdrop for the first 20 years of my life. I love this channel, it brings back the reality that people under 45 just haven't experienced.

[@queenofdramatech]

I watch because my best friends parents and their friends who we are also friends with lived in Prague growing up. My best friends parents met picking hops for the party. I watch to understand the world they lived in and to be able to have intelligent conversations with them at the dinner table regarding their nation and the world around them.

[@marcantoinelab12321]

@@queenofdramatech that's absolutely wholesome ❤

[@queenofdramatech]

@@marcantoinelab12321 Thank you! When I was in college, I took one of many anthropology courses. I had to do an ethnography so I asked my best friend's mom if she would be interviewed about growing up during the cold war. I learned so much and I got an A on the paper. I also gave her a copy and she loved it too. I find it all fascinating even though I currently teach at a museum about Indigenous Americans in the United States.

[@FreeFallingAir]

Nice video on a different aspect of the Cold War. Merry Christmas to us history nerds!

[@steefs6227]

Merry Christmas. From Israel.

[@ruthlesslyuninfluencedbyin2525]

Stop saying "nerds".

[@FreeFallingAir]

@@ruthlesslyuninfluencedbyin2525 I think I can call myself whatever I damn well please! Merry Xmas!

[@FreeFallingAir]

@@steefs6227 Merry Christmas! 🎄

[@skeetrix5577]

I guess it's worth mentioning that "history nerd" are the first words you'll see on the about me on my FB page and I don't care what anyone thinks because I'm proud to have a strong appreciation for history and geopolitics and am capable of holding my own during discussion with people that posses more formal education than I'll ever have. So yeah it's something I'm a little proud about even if it isn't something that most people view as something to boast about

[@jovanweismiller7114]

Merry Christmas, David and the entire crew!

[@RandomGuy-jo8ky]

It's always kind of surprised me that Austria wasn't split in half with the Soviets but instead allowed to stay "Neutral". I get it for Financial and strategic reasons, but for power hungry reasons it kind of surprises me all the same.

[@yomama9538]

The Austrian Communists suggested it when they did poorly in elections, but the Soviets rejected it.

[@RandomGuy-jo8ky]

Interesting. Same in Mongolia. Still surprises me the it didnt get forced on them like Germany .

[@RobertoGonzalez-gg3jc]

Actually, the Soviets at some point were willing to accept a similar neutral status for a unified Germany, which would act as a buffer against the west.

[@RandomGuy-jo8ky]

Interesting. I didn't know that.

[@simplicius11]

@@RobertoGonzalez-gg3jc Exactly, IIRC there were four public offers from Stalin but all of them were refused.

[@madcat789]

A great Christmas gift. Thank you.

[@phytonso9877]

"It's a myth they couldn't leave. All they had to do was only travel to select Soviet allies, get multiple permissions from political commissars, travel under guard, and make sure they still had family back in the country as hostages." Ahh, the sweet melody of the tankie tap-dance.

[@brokenbridge6316]

Nice to see more video's like this. I wouldn't mind seeing another video like this one. My compliments to all those who made this video a reality.

[@Aliasalpha]

Regarding that cash register at 18:35, was that aqua colour special in some way or super common? I swear I've seen it in heaps of soviet era pictures, even in stuff like helo cockpits and cars

[@davidprosser7278]

That was interesting, thanks for posting it.

[@jhoughjr1]

I watched the first video a week ago. excellent timing. merry Christmas for me!

[@user-yx8tn8ls5u]

Ok. so my family lived in Odesa, not the last city in the USSR. The common people there were like 2nd class of common people -- 1st class being Moscow and maybe Leningrad, and 3rd being the cities without ports and sailors with access abroad, 4th being the smaller cities and 5th being peasants (ok, it's subjective and I made it up on the fly but it's representative, I swear). The travel -- throughout all my family only 2 people ever were abroad -- my uncle was in Syria when one of his co-workers was killed because he violated a curfew. He brought back a pair of white jeans and some other goods which were not available in the USSR at the time. My mom (born as peasant, but climbing the ladder through the education system to become a student and Russian teacher later) also was in Communist Poland as a reward for her being a good student -- she lived in a dormitory with some Polish girls and she was very surprised by the fact that she was quietly hated because she was soviet. None of my family ever had any family members permanently living abroad. I should add that the travel to any First World country was next to impossible for the non-diplomatic reasons. One of my good friends actually was in the US as a son of a diplomat stationed there (different world it was, being a diplomat's son in the 70s, I'm telling you), and he's the only person I know that was on a US soil as a Soviet citizen. Some of my university professors participated in conferences in the Western Europe. One was nearly imprisoned for an unauthorized interview (he didn't say anything really) if not for the member of the USSR Science Academy who covered him up saying that he himself authorized it. The shortages -- once I asked my grandma if there was any period she remembers in the USSR without the long lines and she answered a sound "No" to that. In the port city of Odesa where the goods were unloaded and shipped to the various corners of the Union, shortages of everything were commonplace. The peasants didn't really know what is the shortage as most of the things they had were produced locally anyway. They had their own alcohol, their own food, and the only things they need to care for themselves (the machinery was distributed centrally and not bought privately) were crude instruments like shovels, picks, zinc buckets, sinks and so on. Those were actually quite abundant and you didn't need to be in a line for an hour over a zinc bucket. Life was more relaxed in a village -- not counting the fact that the population drank themselves literally to death. The city culture was overall drastically different from the village culture, and the latter was considered lower class. The protests -- my grandma quietly had some Samizdat books written by hand, some were written by her own hand indeed. Aside from that, no one ever dared to speak up, both in my extended family and beyond. The common understanding was that they will make your life very difficult and ultimately will get you in prison or out of the city anyway -- for no gain at all.

[@Norm475]

Thanks for the insight.

[@wilhelmu]

I just asked my mother who was born in 1967 in ussr about shortages and she said "yeah, they were for everyone, but not for us, because we had friends everywhere". The good ol' corruption.

[@user-yx8tn8ls5u]

@@wilhelmu lol yeah sure, you got friends in places? You got whatever you want from those places xDDD

[@kevinconway6022]

Great topic!

[@mr.x8382]

I find anything about the Cold War fascinating. Especially, since I grew up with the Cold War! I would love to see a comprehensive video with a theoretical list of steps the U.S.S.R. could have taken that would have allowed it to remain in power today and remained a communist country and all that that entails. Thank you for the excellent content!!!

[@marcantoinelab12321]

Well, I'm ironically a stem field student (engineering) so the opposite of what the content creator said at the start. But I believe that adapting the New Economic Policy of Lenin, sooner after stalin and to more industries would've helped develop them more quickly, would have solved more of the "deficit" that areas outside the heart of Russia, and would've lead to better material conditions for soviets. (Along with accepting foreign investment like what China has done). Another major step would have been to not have went into Afghanistan which was very costly. Furthermore, taking steps to de-escalate the militarization and nuclear programs of NATO AND the USSR, would've helped. But idk if either would've accepted. Peace talks and a resuming of economic relations between USSR and China because of the Sino Soviet split. Accepting the differences between the 2 states and focusing on pragmatism and cooperation. Perestroyka and Glastnost were good ideas that would've allowed a more liberal society and for people to be able to critique and suggest changes. That's all I can think of right now

[@mr.x8382]

@@marcantoinelab12321 thank you, I enjoyed your analysis!

[@mr.x8382]

@@marcantoinelab12321 another main point I think is that they shouldn’t have killed all of their people. Not just from a moral perspective. That’s something that is really hurting them now. Population deficit.

[@mr.x8382]

@@marcantoinelab12321 they especially killed all their intellectual and intelligent people. Thinking they were a threat!

[@marcantoinelab12321]

@@mr.x8382 Russia had its fair share of deaths. Most of it was due to WW2, famines and Stalin's 5 year plans. The conspiracy that stalin believed, which drove him to exile or execute high ranking officials, didn't have too much of an impact on the 1960's-1980's. And so did the deaths of so many people. The major reasons were economics and politics. The amount of people who died varies, there were alot but some people claiming 20-30million are delusional as those claims have been debunked.

[@norcatch]

Macmillan didn't resign over Profumo, although Profumo did. Macmillan believed he was at deaths door (he was wrong) and resigned while in hospital three years later.

[@leodikinis7390]

Thanks David!

[@Strelnikov403]

While not technically within the purview of a Cold War-based channel, a video clarifying Order #227 and the myth of human wave tactics wouldn't go unappreciated in .

[@DrewPicklesTheDark]

The "human waves" is greatly overexaggerated, but I think it has some basis in reality. One of the USSR's greatest assets was it's manpower, and it was utilized well during the war, even if not ideally. The high death toll I would say comes from the state of the USSR when Germany invaded, particularly the state of the military with it's recent purges, lack of equipment, inexperienced leaders, and political commissars (The Nazis had these too, but to less of a degree), and potentially numbers being fudged, less so due to human waves, though I would say those tactics were used on occasion. The West hated both the USSR and Third Reich since they were extremely illiberal, so both (along with others than have since come, i.e. China) have a lot of myths surrounding them.

[@Sforeczka]

You've probably heard this one. I heard it from a Polish national who was teaching Polish at the Defense Language Institute in 1984. I was a young soldier then, So there were three men on a train going from Gdansk to Warsaw, an American, a Pole, and a Russian. They were affably sharing a compartment. The American pulls a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, offers his companions a cigarette, and they sit smoking for a bit. The the American throws the pack of cigarettes out of the window. The Pole yells "What! That was nearly a full pack of cigarettes!" The American says, Niech sie pan nie martwi (don't worry) "In America we have so may cigarettes we don't know what to do with them all." Then the Russian pulls out a fresh bottle of vodka, and just happens to have three shot glasses. He. breaks the seal on the bottle, pours out three good shots, and the men toast to each others' health. The Russian then throws the bottle out of the window, and the Pole cries "What? That was a nearly full bottle of vodka!" The Russian says, "Niech sie pan nie martwi. In Russia we have so much vodka we don't know what to do with it all." After a thoughtful pause, the Pole grabs the Russian and shoves him out the window, then turns to the American and says "niech sie pan nie martwi, in Poland we have so many Russians we don't know what to do with them all."

[@adaywithsmator]

Funny one

[@monicamattox72]

hahahahah :)

[@28ebdh3udnav]

I'm so early, Ednis still thinking about retaking the Suez canal by force.... Thank you the correction

[@lanceroparaca1413]

More Anthony Eden but yeah

[@horspielfan6741]

An interesting video, however would it be possible that you or your team could cite the sources in the description? Otherwise its a bit hard to verify the claims made in the video.

[@pedromiguelareias]

Mechanism: "There is a myth that humans cannot travel to Pluto." "However, there is nothing that prevents a farmer, in a shed, to build a spaceship able to accomplish that task".

[@MouldMadeMind]

What an absurd comparision, you could literally walk into another country from the soviet union.

[@Marinealver]

Completely Independent as long as you don't anger us. -USSR to Warsaw Pact Okay, maybe they were separate but they certainly weren't peers. 13:39 Exactly

[@hanzup4117]

Merry Christmas, everyone.

[@WizardsandWarriors]

Psst, kid. We have the best myths. And fantasy and Sci-fi!

[@KingsandGenerals]

You are ok. Just ok.

[@TheColdWarTV]

oh no...not THESE two jokers again...

[@pyeitme508]

Sure

[@pyeitme508]

@@KingsandGenerals oof 😅

[@pyeitme508]

@@TheColdWarTV aren't ya a joker 🃏?

[@tiborpurzsas2136]

I lived in communist Hungary at the cold War ! So about travel, they let us travel to other commi countries, because our money was comparable ! However, when a Hun person wanted to go to west for vacation, what money would he pay with ? Western currency was very important to the communist economy ! They didn't have mutch over it ! If a person was lucky enough to get a blue passport , (blue was for west, red was for East ) he was allowed to purchase a 100 US dollar from the state bank ! Therefore currency exchange was a lucrative business in the black market ! By law, if someone had western currency in his possession, he had to sell it to the communist government in exchange for hun currency ! So that's why they didnt want to give us western passports, because we not even supposed to have western currency legally ! The same thing went for why didnt we have western records for sale ? Because if Elton John came out with a new record, Hungary would have to pay in dollars for the British label for the rights to print the records ! The Hun or other commi countries, simply didn't have western currency to buy records, movies, or allow their citizens to travel !

[@catalinchis7558]

Good day! what is the music in the background, at the endings of your videos? Thx! Greetings from Romania; Merry Christmas!

[@ghostwriterj9421]

Wildly off topic but what is that red and black poster on the back wall of your set? It's so cool looking!

[@petermitchelmore2592]

The best turn of phrase was from Alexandr Solzhenitsyn: “We know they are lying, They know they are lying, They know we know they are lying, We know they know we know they are lying, But they are still lying.”

[@angrybordpro_gaming3443]

Its ironic that the author of the phrase was a big liar too who made the myth about soviet union imprisoning 50 million people in gulags

[@MrTStat]

I always wanted to ask but always forgot, what is the name of the music that you play by the end?

[@zmeu_md3831]

My grandmother died 12 years ago at the age of 78 but i still remember her stories , she survived 2 famines ,ww2 and depirtations ... her mother used to make bread from leafs and grass in order to survive , soviets took all their grains and animals in 1946 ,there were cases of canibalism in her village , she was from a village in western part of ukraine ,populated mostly by romanians . When she was older they moved in Besarabia (Moldova) and lived here since . I feel so sad that when she and my grandfather died i was young and not interested in history like im now (i was 12 at the time she died) . One more thing , how my dad told me , the positive fact about ussr was that everything was kinda stable and calm,i mean everyone had a job , there was real presure by parents and schools (teachers) to make you to finish the school and get educated ,not like today, everyone gives a shit about kids education . Yes ,it was brainwashing but except from that at least your kid was not going around in the schools hours and drinking or doing drugs . There was modesty , especialy in small cities or towns , if there was a whore ,everyone knew her and her family reputation was ruined , today every second women is on tik tok showing but or onlyfans selling her nudes for money. My dad served 5 years in soviet navy on a cruise missle ship and then fought against russians in 1992 war in eastern Moldova when he was my age (25) . Realising all that makes me feel lucky that i didnt lived in USSR or live currently in Russia lol .

[@uayfb1]

@@zna9297 You are wrong.

[@sampanton292]

17:08- Constant shortages You guys mentioned that there wasn't shortages all the time in the USSR. I was wondering wether it is fair to say there was constant regional shortages, e.g. although there is no shortage in one area at this time in another there is. Idk I'm a A level student and need a overarching comment on Soviet agriculture. I can't think of a time where there wasn't a shortage anywhere in the USSR. I really appreciate your videos they have saved me in a few exams this year @The Cold War

[@ilyatsukanov8707]

Yes, it did depend a lot on the region and who the local authorities were. For example when Boris Yeltsin was party boss of Sverdlovsk region things got so bad they had to introduce rationing cards on certain food items. Meanwhile in Tomsk region in Siberia, party boss Egor Ligachev planned so that the region had a supply of fresh, locally grown tomatoes and other vegetables even in winter thanks to a network of greenhouses. Generally the type of shortage could depend on the region and its economic output. So in major fishing regions (Murmansk, Vladivostok) no shortage of fish, crabs, obviously. But good luck finding non-tinned seawater fish in a rural Siberian village (freshwater fish would be a different story with just fishing from local waterways though). Also, shortages could depend on type of item. For example Moscow was amply fed to the point where people from neighbouring regions would travel there on an elektrichka to stock up on sausages or other items (leading to the term 'kolbasa trains'). On the other hand, if in Moscow getting a newly published sought after book could be hard due to strong demand, in the regions one could find them lying on the shelves collecting dust - hence reverse ''kolbasa trains' except for things like books, etc. The worst shortages (to the point of creating universal animosity at the authorities and a revolutionary situation) began in the late 1980s, after poorly thought out reforms which brought market elements into the planned system ended up creating huge imbalances in the economy and collapsing the whole system - look up the 1987 law on state enterprises and the 1988 law on cooperatives for more on that. Also, from 1990 to 1991, the central government (Gorbachev's) began to be sabotaged by the republics, creating even worse shortages. For example, Yeltsin, after becoming the Russian republic's leader, mysteriously closed 90% of the republic's cigarette factories at once 'for repairs', leading to shortages of cigarettes (you can imagine how angry a smoker can get when he can't smoke).

[@KaiserFranzJosefI]

I think its important to remember that shortages were almost always an issue of the bureaucratic inefficiency in the supply chain rather than an actual shortage. Studies suggest that Gosplan wasted as much as a third of the grain produced and as much as half of the meat produced. The nature of the Soviet economy and its gigantic bureaucracy were producing the shortages rather than actual underproduction

[@Dutch_Uncle]

Some shortages reflected a lack of confidence in the population. I was in East Germany in the 1980s when one area had a flour shortage due to panic buying. There was a rumor that the country would run out of flour, and public declarations that there was no shortage were not believed and were taken as proof that there was a problem and thus did nothing to stop the panic buying. The government decided that the only solution was to flood the markets with flour, and after the area had purchased two years' worth of flour the hoarding ended.

[@ShadowDragon1848]

Will you make a video about the development of the Soviet economy from the early days to the last days?

[@bigblue6917]

Sometime ago I watched a video about an incident which happened in Poland after a huge Warsaw Pact exercise before the collapse of the Soviet Union and is a reference to the shortages in Russia at that time. The incident happened at a Polish railways station when Russian troops were getting ready to go home. A number of Poles started to talk to the Russians giving them things like chewing gum, things the Russians could not get at home. They started taking pictures of each other with the Russian troops, being very comradely. What the Russians were not aware of at the time was that the Poles, who did not suffer the same shortages as the Russians, were in fact mocking the Russians by giving them items they could not get at home but the Poles could. They were in effect saying that your country may be bigger then ours and you thing you are in charge but we are better off then you.

[@RodriguezCorredor]

About the shortages and the long lines could appear now as a myth but that happened often. My father used to say: “The Russians put a man on space, but couldn’t put butter on the table of their citizens”…

[@herodotasgamer2942]

Honestly... not a terrible video, concise and informative, well done

[@pyromike7237]

it is terrible. 1, 3, and 5 are straight wrong

[@UserNameMandatory]

My parents were able to travel abroad to visit family that lived abroad. The catch was that my parents couldn't do it together. First my dad went. After he returned, then my mom was able to go.

[@ressljs]

As he "dispelled" the myth that Soviet citizens couldn't travel, I think when most people hear all the requirements and restrictions, it amounts to the same thing.

[@vasilerogojan4520]

This video fits perfectly for the 30th anniversary since the dissolution of the "Evil Empire".

[@queenofdramatech]

You should do a whole video on the Prague Spring and the Russian attempts to stomp it out and what happened after with Dubček. What am I saying, that would be 2 videos if not more.

[@user0307]

The first of a teo part series was posted a few days ago.

[@depth386]

Regarding travelling outside of the Soviet Union: Polish background here. My parents went to France and worked as janitors, nannies, and made 80 years’ worth of money compared to working in Soviet-Controlled Poland. That allowed them to buy a car. Edit: the car was bought when they returned to Poland and for what it’s worth, they worked for cash in France as they weren’t officially immigrating to France. Suffice to say in the 90’s we left all that behind.

[@mikeyorkav4039]

Hope all the corruption, suffering, etc after the early 90s was all worth it for the car...

[@depth386]

@@mikeyorkav4039 We left Poland in 92 or 93 so the car purchase I speak of would have been in the 80’s before immigrating was really possible (at least legally). But yeah things were bad, store shelves were empty and everything was rationed including toothpaste and diapers so my grandma was sewing together makeshift diapers out of pillow cases or “whatever” to make up the numbers for my mom when I was a baby. Vodka was cheaper than water and working felt like a waste of time because the wages were so low compared to the price of a home (well homes were a waiting list but that’s just the socialist equivalent of astronomical house prices) or a car or any other capital good so many grown men would just drink, a kind of male-dominated equivalent to present day China’s “Lying Flat” and “Let it Rot”. China Insights did an amazing video on that as well as their bank runs and covid lockdowns involving break-and-enter as a state policy, electric fences, etc. Anyways yeah Poland nope’d out of communism as soon as it could do so without Soviet tanks responding. See Perun’s “How Corruption Destroys Armies” and also his “Ukraine’s Vital Ally” (referring to Poland).

[@altay57]

I need to know the name of the ost played at the end of every episode

[@TWHueyGuitar]

Brilliant! No Bokksu ad this time.

[@theokaraman]

What is the percentage of US citizens that do travel abroad, I wonder. Sometimes people just dont have the means or simply the incentive to do tourism in other contries.

[@mikeyorkav4039]

If more americans could afford to travel, the level of brainwashed patriotism would plummet

[@Fearmylogic]

I'd like to see a video of misconceptions and lies the US told about itself, and things other countries, including the Soviet union believed and was told about the US. And would love to see the lies and misconceptions of capitalism, especially neo-liberal capitalism.

[@accent1666]

jeez, why so especific? its not like cut some slack for capitalism and the US

[@mexicobasado8177]

Questions I dont have the answer but I think you guys might now: 1-) did France and italy had mandatory military service during the cold war?? 2-)How big was the JSDF in 1984?? 3-) How did the germans felt about the fact they were prohibited to be nationalistic, yet they were conscripted in the army?? Didnt they felt they were just a cannon fodler for the US (an old enemy) 's interests? 4-) which was the strongest NATO country in continental europe during the 70s and during the 80s?? 5-) which country was more anticommunist and nationalistic during the cold war? Italy or France (both government and people) Feel free to answer, or if you dont know the answer, you can give an opinion Thanks

[@DerDop]

4. Turkey or France.

[@thunderbird1921]

I might be able to answer several of those (but I could be mistaken): 3. The West Germans were DEEPLY divided over even having a military (a debate that apparently has continued to this day among members of their public). The threat of Communist aggression probably reluctantly persuaded many to accept it. 4. France, due to being a nuclear power, was almost certainly the strongest of the mainland western European nations. 5. I don't know about Italy, but France had some socialist leans at times during the Cold War (though I've heard some of these socialists still hated the Soviets). Italy may or may not have been more aggressively against it.

[@thorthewolf8801]

The french intellectuals were actually very pro communist at the time, so there is your answer

[@michaelsalmon9832]

Both Italy and France tended to lean left during this period. They both almost had communist governments. France probably was more right wing than Italy, with poujade, de gaulle and le pen senior being popular, if controversial, figures, although France almost had a leftist revolution in 1968. This was the period of the “years of lead” in Italy and the mysterious “operation gladio” and P2 lodge’s influence over Italian political life. I’d say militarily France was strongest. Germans were not prohibited from being “nationalistic”. In fact many of the Nazis in mid level positions kept their jobs, and the atrocities of the war were blamed solely on hitler and the Nazis and the SS, not on Germany or it’s armed forces. West Germany was a very conservative, patriotic, nationalistic nation for most of its existence. Only in the 60s-80s did this begin to change.

[@pierren___]

1) yes. France abolished it in 1997 I think. 2) aroud 100000 I think 3) they had "constitutional patriotism" which is similar To american "right wing" classical patriotism. 4) France, because germany was divided. Still the case today though. 5) Hard To say, but maybe Italy. France had regularly socialist presidential wins and a strong Cultural marxist influence; egalitarism that led To massive immigration défense and politics, something italy didnt have outside of the assembly i think.

[@piotrmacc8793]

You just forget one the biggest barrier for travel aboard. Is money! Average income in Poland 1970/80 was around 50-60 DM per month. Western Germany demand minimum 25 DM per day in Western Germany for support yourself. And was necessary when you travel to Western Germany or just go to France and use West Germany as transit country. If you not proof in Germany consulate that you have 25 DM per each day you stay in West Germany, then Germany refuse to issue visa tourist or transit. So, at least 75% barrier to travel aboard was western demand to have enough money.

[@oliverlacota3112]

I feel like number 1 in this video is more of a technicality than anything. Like yes, *technically* Soviet citizens could travel, but functionally, an overwhelming majority couldn't.

[@Mantriox]

I understand that this video is important because of the general mystery of the USSR to western people, but I sincerely hope you guys put out a video about myths surrounding the US rather than just letting American propaganda stand dominant after beating down Soviet propaganda

[@oldfan1963]

may i quote you? :)

[@thunderbird1921]

Well, as an American myself I can tell you two Cold War era myths (spread here at home or by foreigners) that are false: First myth is that women were unable to get any government or positions of power before 1960. This is laughably false, as 27 women served in Congress during the 1950s alone. Additionally, two women served as state governors as early as the 1920s (one of them, Nellie Ross, also became Director of the U.S. Mint). The first female Cabinet secretary was in 1933, when Frances Perkins headed the Labor Department. Also, women actually could serve in the military full time by the late 1940s (noncombat roles that is) and from what I've read even got equal pay to the men. This does not include the ladies who served in business roles like Brownie Wise or political activism. The second myth about America or our actions is we specially chose to punish North Korea in the Korean War with bombing raids on cities and cared little about civilians. That is untrue. While the controversial raids did occur, they were little different than those done on Germany or Japan in World War II (Allied forces even used napalm on the German armies at times). Furthermore, similar to how we did raids on Japan, some effort was made to drop warning leaflets over North Korea telling people to leave communities or do other actions. The hope was that this would significantly reduce civilian casualties, but for reasons not entirely understood they didn't always leave and as a result were there when the raids happened (some of our generals and officers were actually horrified by it). Also, we and other UN coalition members often tried very hard to move civilians away from danger whenever possible (orphan children for example were sometimes sent to a South Korean island refuge by our planes). The problem was controlling the flow of refugees in an organized manner, as many terrified locals fled the coming Communist armies all at once, clogging roads or railways. Making matters even worse was that North Korea or China would even reportedly try to infiltrate the refugees (Australian troops claimed this among others).

[@TTFerdinand]

The shortages were so common in USSR in the '80s. For example there were no carrots in the ABC "supermarket". But there were old ladies selling their produce at the entrance, one of them sold carrots, 5 kopeks a kilo. As a 10y old kid I wanted a kilo of these carrots, it cost about the same as a big jug of kvas, but I was willing to sacrifice it to make the lady's day and to be a serious customer. But I didn't have any money on me, so I ran home, took the money and my bicycle and came back. She was about to leave, but I bought the carrots and she seemed relieved that she had less to carry back home with her. Ever since that day, if I have some change on me and I see an old lady in a random place trying to sell something she has (probably) grown herself, something I could use in the kitchen, I take the time and buy some from her.

[@adrianwelke7102]

Very interesting documentary! The picture used for the Chechyens uprising is wrong though. It is from the East German protests of June 17th 1953.

[@donaldbraugh2314]

According to "Gorbachev, His Life and Times" the Pulitzer prize winning work in 2017. Gorby often said (I've read it twice) that many years, though not famines per se, were having such shortages that it risked Soviet collapse; his words not mine

[@easy8690]

Yeah that's Gorbachev. Is there any evidence of this besides his word?

[@VonArmagedda]

Atleast in the 80's, tourists from Soviet Russia, Soviet Estonia and Soviet Poland would travel to Finland to sell alcohol, cigarettes and other various things, to earn that extra money.

[@ibfreely8952]

The cold war from the margins is s great book and is freely available as a pdf on the publishers website, strongly recommended.

[@jonathanwood9384]

You forgot SMERSH

[@STScott-qo4pw]

ww2, military's political enforcers. Translates as "death to spies". they never found one for real but were feared/hated by the troops.

[@ianokan9120]

Fun fact: Bulgaria was so loyal to the USSR(more so to russia than to communism) that we didnt host any soviet bases or troops despite being at the border with turkey and greece

[@zsg87]

but what about the many Soviet tourists?

[@ianokan9120]

@@zsg87 what do u mean

[@zsg87]

@@ianokan9120 I made a bad joke

[@Mrgunsngear]

Thanks

[@finrab]

14:14 people protesting FOR Stalin? Something i wouldn’t have expected.

[@anderskorsback4104]

Khrushchev: So you like Stalin? Well, let me deal with your dissent like Stalin would have.

[@howardcitizen2471]

Remember that Stalin was Georgian, so I guess they were proud of a local boy who rose to the top.

[@alexturlais8558]

Hitler and Churchill also still have fans. There's a lot of love for leaders and big figures, regardless of what they've done.

[@Phil-D83]

Solidarity lucked out; if brezhnev had not died when he did, it would have been flattened by tanks.

[@RandomGuy-jo8ky]

The USSR Travel seems not much easier than North Korean Travel Today based on the way you told it. If so, not sure that is a real "myth" since so tight and with a babysitter the whole time.

[@abdokaddouri3534]

Could you do an episode on the Soviet-Afghan war?

[@rfvtgbzhn]

13:51 yes, this is technically true, however there was a lot of oppistion within the Bolshevik party against stalinism, until Trotskys left opposition was finally crushed in 1927 (the Russian civil war ended in 1923).

[@LC-fe7be]

There was still disagreement in the Communist Party during Stalin's time.

[@rfvtgbzhn]

@@LC-fe7be not on major issues from what I know.

[@LC-fe7be]

@@rfvtgbzhn define "the major issues"... There was hardly any official legal opposition to capitalism and anti-communism in the US during the same time...

[@rfvtgbzhn]

@@LC-fe7be for example the forced collectivization and the great purge. There was not much resistance against these things, as all attempts where crushed early, and from what is known there was also no open discussion in the Politburo or Central Committee of the Bolscheviks. PS: there was some resistance against the forced collectivization in the Politburo, but only before implementation started, after the right opposition (Bukharin etc.) was crushed in 1928/29 there was no major resistance anymore, although Stalin intensivied his "dekulakization" and at the end even called small farmers "kulaks" because he needed an excuse of the failure of the program to achieve it's goals.

[@LC-fe7be]

@@rfvtgbzhn Collectivization was necessary for the socialization of the economy and rebuilding after the Nazi destruction of Eastern Europe. The Purges were an overreaction to the very real threat posed by an imperialist coup. You said it yourself Bukharin was in the RIGHT opposition. The Communist Party works under democratic centralism which means that you display unity of ideas and action to the people outside the party and intentionally disguise any internal opposition. You can disagree with the Central Committee of the Communist Party's decisions, but that doesn't make you correct and them evil.

[@shattikbandyopadhyaa1787]

You should mention the uprise of the counter-revolutionary group leaded by Nikita Khurschev which resulted in a sharp decline in each and every sector of the mighty USSR.

[@jackspade5316]

Your subscription plug was especially inspired.

[@monicamattox72]

very interesting.... :)

[@gandalug1]

Fact number 2 is not fully true, at least regarding 1960’s Poland. A couple of examples: The soldiers guarding the Polish borders were mostly soviet, spoke Russian and very limited Polish Poland always used beetroot sugar up to the Cuban revolution when they were forced by Moscow to buy Cuban sugar in exchange for Polands best resources

[@warren7913]

You're dead wrong about 2nd point. First of all, you directly contradict yourself with "satellite states had autonomy" and "Soviet Union did exercise broad high-level control, staging military interventions and had economic influence". Second of all, even despite all your examples, Soviet Union might gave some appearance of autonomy but at the end of the day would still assign people to government, approve laws and force economic decisions that would benefit Soviets, not necessarily satellite states.

[@alexturlais8558]

To be fair, that was also the case for American satellites and allies.

[@donnyboon2896]

Yes

[@mojewjewjew4420]

I was hoping you would mention how Ceausescu publicly condemned the invasion of Cehosloakia.

[@alecjones4135]

I'VE ALREADY PRESSED THE BUTTON

[@IvanTremor]

Great episode! Happy Holidays!

[@perezmig577]

Refuses to press button, gets sent to gulag

[@00Snake77]

I’ve heard of the GRU, they tried taking Sokolov from the KGB.

[@thearmchairspacemanOG]

in Soviet Union, Myth imagines You.

[@rupes3618]

Shortages were a huge thing! As were queues! The evidence is ask anyone who lived through will tell how inconvenient it was and how difficult it made life.

[@bennorwood8433]

Can you please do a video about the local government of Russia at that time

[@kentcyclist]

I loved the USSR. Please bring it back

[@Hand-in-Shot_Productions]

I found this video quite informative! I, for instance, found your take on the myth of the satellite states quite informative, as well as the occasional protests and (mostly) rare shortages. Thanks for the information! Also, nice GRU parody and JFK quote at the end!

[@Dutch_Uncle]

14:38 shows two men throwing rocks as a tank, This looks very much like a photo from 1953 showing East Berliners throwing rocks at a Soviet tank. In printed works quotations must be documented with footnotes showing a source, but in vieo presentations stock footage is frequently used, with the result that the wrong weapons and time of year are shown, and the same refugees are shown fleeing both the Soviet and the Germans. The Five Myths video is great, but I question the rock throwing photo as being from the time indicated and not Germany in 1953.

[@therealxunil2]

I pressed the button, comrade.

[@MachinimaGothic]

16:38 Yes they did happen but you forget about something very important they did happend after stalin death before this any protest=certain death or gulag

[@vasilerogojan4520]

I think that only in East Germany an annexation would have made a very small difference.

[@TesterAnimal1]

Everybody’s heard of the GRU since Salisbury.

[@Meelis13]

6:20 Thank you- its so pervasive and even people from those nations do not seem to realise just how big a difference it made. Compare say, Poland to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (who, btw, were the only nations whose independence wasnt restored after ww2 until collapse of USSR in 1991). While both were under very much control of moscow, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania suffered lot more, including attempts of Moscow of killing local languages and cultures, plus mass importation of russians and ukrainians. 14:00 There were protests, but it was always very risky business. I'd also add the youth protests of 1980 Estonia, which was fairly unique in sense that it came as direct response of soviets banning peformance of one of first punk rock bands Propeller after football (soccer) match between Estonian TV and Estonian radio. About 7000 people took part in these. 17:30 while famines were not a thing troughout most of post ww2 ussr, shortages *were* a very real thing troughout. You had to jump trough hoops to get most of what you need. The situation was better in major cities, but if you lived in smaller place? yeah, keep dreaming.

[@ondrejsedlak4935]

The travel thing was made difficult in any of the communist countries. In Czechoslovakia for example, you could travel to various countries such as France or the US without an escort but the wait times for permission was horrendous. My step-dad actually visited Paris in the early 80s and all he had to do was wait 2 years for permission. He told me going to the US or UK required wait times up to 10 years. This was the reason why most people just went to Bulgaria as that was the nicest place in the communist bloc without any hassles. There was also Yugoslavia which did require permission which was only 3 months. Once there, half the people attempted escape and most were successful, like my family. There were exceptions to the wait rule, such as when my grandparents came to visit us in Australia in early 1989. They were considered a 0% defection risk as they were pensioners, zero English abilities and were very vocal against our decision to escape in 1986 when the STB (Secret Police) paid them a visit, so they got permission to travel almost immediately. Fun fact about their trip. When they left Czechoslovakia, it was communist. When they came back at the start of 1990, it was a democracy.

[@skn9895]

I think Yugoslavia was the ultimate independent satellite state. Tito practically thumbed his nose at the Soviet leadership.

[@B52Stratofortress1]

He wasn't a satellite state at all. He was not in the Warsaw Pact and wasn't the sort of man to be told what to do. Stalin even tried to have him killed

[@STScott-qo4pw]

and likely got away with it cuz after ww2 ussr exhausted. yeah, yeah, yeah... lotsa armies, tanks, planes, big fkn deal. that war taught ANYONE with a pulse you wanna take out even small countries like yugo you NEED an air force worth the name. tito and his successors spent 40 yrs hardening that mountainous land yugoslavia against aerial attack and the soviets knew it just wouldn't be worth it. not to mention though yugoslavia was a communist dictatorship - uh, yes - it allowed smaller scale free enterprise and did allow citizens passports for private travel. tho a dictatorship the state kept its gulags very much under wraps and was a bit more circumspect in applying lubyanka-style govt to its people - compared to warsaw pact countries and their internal security agencies.

[@STScott-qo4pw]

edit: my point - yugoslavs weren't constantly bullied in the same way as warsaw pact citizens. until ethnic divisions were enflamed in the later 80s the country was reasonably well-run and peaceable. Coercion used somewhat less frequently compared to poland, czecho, ussr, gdr. yugo citizens could and did leave. none of this redeems the communist regime in belgrade but from serbs, bosnians, croats i have met (many) they are regretful over the break-up of the old yugoslavia. it was possible to live there.

[@elpapichulo4046]

independent satellite state. Now that is an oxymoron

[@felipefspb]

Great documentary! Well done!

[@osuna3525]

can you guys do a video on Mongolia during the 20th century? 🇲🇳

[@Kodopitharos]

Regarding shortage of food, although not part of the USSR, Albania certainly must have had a problem. As a kid I experienced first hand the refugee albanians that fled to Greece when the communist regime there fell. For many years I was under the impression that albanians were very very thin. Little did I know that this was just them being malnourished.