When I first met up with my escort at the Domodedovo airport in Moscow nearly one year ago, I harldy understood anything she said in Russian. As a result, I just nodded my head when she spoke and tried understand her through context clues and non-verbal communication. Luckily, taxi is a cognate, so I knew that is what we were searching for. A large Russian man pulled up in a car that I would not recognize as a taxi, grabbed my bags and threw them in the trunk, and I got in the back seat. My escort and the taxi driver got in the front seat and started a conversation while I took in my new surroundings. I soon was fearing for my life as this man drove like he was in the Daytona 500, but wanted to keep my cool and see how much Russian I could pick up in their conversation.
About 10 minutes into the drive we passed a car with orange and black ribbons wrapped around the door handles. The lady pointed them out to the driver, and they began to talk again. The conversation did not seem like small talk like it had when we first got into the car. After learning about the recent elections and protests throughout Russia, I thought the ribbons were a sign of protest. I shrugged it off as something I would just have to look out for.
Courtesy of english.ruvr.ru
A few weeks down the road from my first day in Russia, I learned (after questioning my host father what the ribbon meant) that the ribbon was not in fact a sign of protest but something more important - a sign of victory. On May 9, 1945, Nazi Germany capitulated to the USSR; marking the end of World War II, or as it is known in the former Soviet Union - the Great Patriotic War. The 68 years following the victory of WWII, the former Soviet Republics, as well as some other East European countries, celebrate the aniversary every year. In Russia it is known as День Победы (Den' Pobedi -Victory Day), and it is recognized by the wearing of orange and black ribbons known as the Ribbon of St. George which is the most prestigious and respected symbol of military valor in Russia. I would compare it to the "Support the Troops" or "Breast Cancer Awareness" ribbons we have here in the states.
In the USA, we learn about WWII in our history classes that we were on the winning side and we recognize the importance of it, but in Russia I learned that the "Great Patriotic War" is more to them than just history classes.
Russians around my age do more to recognize WWII than just wear such ribbons on their backpacks; it's one of their favorite topics. On three seperate occasions I was asked one simple question that took conversations we were having to a whole new level: "Who won WWII?" The first time I was asked I was in a stairwell with two Russian girls and a man celebrating the White Nights festival in Saint Petersburg. Little did I know that the question was a trap. I popped off, "The United States. . . and Great Britain and the Soviet Union." I was surprised that this was taken as the wrong answer.
"You have the order backwards."
"You joined the war 3 years late."
"How can you say that when you did not even lose half a million people and we lost over 25 million?"
Obviously, I was unprepared to be bombarded with such questions, and to being referred as the US in human form. I would try to bring up points that would not seem offensive to them (Stalin), so I tried to speak of events like Pearl Harbor, Japan, and Normandy. These did not help my case. Eventually, I conceded to defeat by just agreeing to everything they said. Besides, I was supposed to be enjoying the festival.
The second and third time happened within a day of each other. I was touring the basketball gym in Kazan for the Universiad Summer 2013 Olympics when a guy my age asked me the same question. I gave him the same answer as I did the first time, but instead I mention Great Britain first on the list. He was less attacking, but he saw it as a good time teach me a lesson about the war and who should get the credit. I got to the point where I would just listen and nod my head like I did when I couldn't understand my escort.
The last time I was asked the question in Russia I was at a skeet shooting range in Kazan. Yes, I did in fact shoot skeet in Russia. This time a girl approached me who I met the day before and asked two questions - "What do Americans think of Russian politics? Oh yeah, and who won WWII?" I gave the PC answer... or the smart one I like to think. "Подумаю. (Podumayu - I will think.)" And I just never gave her an answer.
A photo I took of the Great Patriotic War Museum
Courtesy of hospitalityandtravelnew.blogspot.com
In hindsight, I should have engaged in those conversations more. By that time, I had visited the National WWII museum in New Orleans and the Great Patriotic War Museum in Moscow. Through each museum's focus on the nation it was located, I learned and knew more than I realized about the war that changed the world. Those conversations could have been helpful in building a realization that - nationalism, ideology, and necessity aside - our countries needed each other to defeat some of the deadliest forces of the twentienth century - Nazi Germany and fascism. As a result of this cooperation, a framework for a new international system was laid, out of which the United Nations was organized.
Despite the ideological differences and the subsequent Cold War, nothing can dimish the importance of the cooperation between the Soviet Union and United States during WWII. With that said, I wish everyone a Happy Victory Day! С Днем Великой Победы!
Courtesy of gorod.tomsk.ru
About 10 minutes into the drive we passed a car with orange and black ribbons wrapped around the door handles. The lady pointed them out to the driver, and they began to talk again. The conversation did not seem like small talk like it had when we first got into the car. After learning about the recent elections and protests throughout Russia, I thought the ribbons were a sign of protest. I shrugged it off as something I would just have to look out for.
Courtesy of english.ruvr.ru
A few weeks down the road from my first day in Russia, I learned (after questioning my host father what the ribbon meant) that the ribbon was not in fact a sign of protest but something more important - a sign of victory. On May 9, 1945, Nazi Germany capitulated to the USSR; marking the end of World War II, or as it is known in the former Soviet Union - the Great Patriotic War. The 68 years following the victory of WWII, the former Soviet Republics, as well as some other East European countries, celebrate the aniversary every year. In Russia it is known as День Победы (Den' Pobedi -Victory Day), and it is recognized by the wearing of orange and black ribbons known as the Ribbon of St. George which is the most prestigious and respected symbol of military valor in Russia. I would compare it to the "Support the Troops" or "Breast Cancer Awareness" ribbons we have here in the states.
In the USA, we learn about WWII in our history classes that we were on the winning side and we recognize the importance of it, but in Russia I learned that the "Great Patriotic War" is more to them than just history classes.
Russians around my age do more to recognize WWII than just wear such ribbons on their backpacks; it's one of their favorite topics. On three seperate occasions I was asked one simple question that took conversations we were having to a whole new level: "Who won WWII?" The first time I was asked I was in a stairwell with two Russian girls and a man celebrating the White Nights festival in Saint Petersburg. Little did I know that the question was a trap. I popped off, "The United States. . . and Great Britain and the Soviet Union." I was surprised that this was taken as the wrong answer.
"You have the order backwards."
"You joined the war 3 years late."
"How can you say that when you did not even lose half a million people and we lost over 25 million?"
Obviously, I was unprepared to be bombarded with such questions, and to being referred as the US in human form. I would try to bring up points that would not seem offensive to them (Stalin), so I tried to speak of events like Pearl Harbor, Japan, and Normandy. These did not help my case. Eventually, I conceded to defeat by just agreeing to everything they said. Besides, I was supposed to be enjoying the festival.
The second and third time happened within a day of each other. I was touring the basketball gym in Kazan for the Universiad Summer 2013 Olympics when a guy my age asked me the same question. I gave him the same answer as I did the first time, but instead I mention Great Britain first on the list. He was less attacking, but he saw it as a good time teach me a lesson about the war and who should get the credit. I got to the point where I would just listen and nod my head like I did when I couldn't understand my escort.
The last time I was asked the question in Russia I was at a skeet shooting range in Kazan. Yes, I did in fact shoot skeet in Russia. This time a girl approached me who I met the day before and asked two questions - "What do Americans think of Russian politics? Oh yeah, and who won WWII?" I gave the PC answer... or the smart one I like to think. "Подумаю. (Podumayu - I will think.)" And I just never gave her an answer.
A photo I took of the Great Patriotic War Museum
Courtesy of hospitalityandtravelnew.blogspot.com
In hindsight, I should have engaged in those conversations more. By that time, I had visited the National WWII museum in New Orleans and the Great Patriotic War Museum in Moscow. Through each museum's focus on the nation it was located, I learned and knew more than I realized about the war that changed the world. Those conversations could have been helpful in building a realization that - nationalism, ideology, and necessity aside - our countries needed each other to defeat some of the deadliest forces of the twentienth century - Nazi Germany and fascism. As a result of this cooperation, a framework for a new international system was laid, out of which the United Nations was organized.
Despite the ideological differences and the subsequent Cold War, nothing can dimish the importance of the cooperation between the Soviet Union and United States during WWII. With that said, I wish everyone a Happy Victory Day! С Днем Великой Победы!
Courtesy of gorod.tomsk.ru
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