Why I like the USSR?

USSR stamp commemorating the launch of the first satellite 'Sputnik'.



This is an interesting question asked by everyone. Why I like the Soviet Union? Born in a religious Brahmin family, leading a comfortable life, may not be a luxurious life with all riches but a good one. Yet, why would I like to support a communist country, which was popularly dubbed as the "Evil Empire" by the American President Ronald Reagan in 1983? I have a long answer for it.



Education was given a lot of importance and priority in the Soviet Union. Education was compulsory.

1. I have no brothers or sisters, so in life I was to consider my friends as brothers and sisters. That gradually erased all caste thoughts. Caste system wasn't there in the USSR. Racism was strictly prohibited. Everyone was considered to be equal. Even study of genetics was considered unlawful and against their theory.


Yuri Gargarin is the first human to travel in space. CCCP in Russian meant USSR.

2. I like women very much. It is not because that I am a man. It's because I don't have a sister. I have had successful moments in life. Sad moments too. I had no one to share my feelings. My opinion of women fluctuated all years, but the respect was still there even as I had numerous difference of opinions with women during my school/college days. Women were considered equal to men in the USSR. In World War 2, Soviet women pilots flew airplanes and fought against Germans. Women scientists assisted Men in all ambitious Soviet programs in space research, missile systems and technology.



Soviet women snipers during Second World War.

3. I hate to see people suffering. There should be no suffering, harassment of any human being in this world. People should have food, water, cloth to live comfortably, if not luxuriously. Both men and women should be given good education and moral values to preserve culture and originality. Sadly, in this world education is now being sold out to the person who is going to give the maximum money. Basic facilities are not available to a human being who is not wealthy.



March 8th, Women's day poster in the USSR asking all women to come out of household works to create a new world.

Poor people couldn't afford for medicines. People being discriminated in terms of color, religion, caste and appearance. A baby is sucking the breasts of its mother not knowing she is dead already. Things were different in the Soviet Union. I am not saying that the Soviet Union was a perfect state. At least, it was a good experiment. Medicine and Education were free to Soviet citizen, with food available at low cost. That's the reason why they developed quickly. After a devastating World War 2, they rebuilt quickly to launch the first artificial satellite, the Sputnik.


His Excellency Nikita Khruschev, General Secretary of the Soviet Union visits Integral Coach Factory(ICF), Perambur. Sergei Nikolai Bulganin, Premier of the Soviet Union is also seen in the picture.

4. USSR had good relations with India. I am an Indian. I should be grateful to the Russians at least for that.


5. I like being self-reliant. This policy has backfired many times in my life. Even at times of difficulty, I resolve to manage things alone, but I have got good friends who always help me. The USSR was a self-reliant state, which designed and invented new things. It fought all its miseries alone. I like this character and hard working nature of this nation.




6. Pornography was prohibited in the USSR. Possessing such content would lead to a spot fine or even imprisonment. Any form of sexual harassment against women was dealt severely. Over here, we don't know what will happen and where? Schoolgirls, college girls are kidnapped and forced into pornography. Whatever, let's be with content with the USSR. Let's be happy that there was a nation, which strived for perfection. Soviet Union was a good experiment that failed due to various reasons.




The Red Army parade.

These 6 points could be my best possible answer. I still disapprove many of Soviet policies like Stalin's dictatorship rule, gulags, prisoner labor camps etc. But if there is something good it needs to be appreciated.

I got a lot of free time, so I thought of pouring all my thoughts on this Diwali day, the day Lord Krishna's consort Satyabama defeated evil demon 'Narakasuran'. So if by any chance anyone reads this article and if you are a girl/women commit yourself to improve your nation in any possible way you think and work hard to preserve Indian culture and originality. Remember that Russian women achieved it. Why can't you?

I have described the USSR without using words like Communism, Capitalism. Infact, I don't know the meaning of communism. I believe in God be it Vishnu, Jesus or Allah, I would be happy if anyone of them exists.

-Krishna Kumar.S

Soviet Union-Lost but not forgotten-Part 1

Portrait of Vladimir Lenin.


Vladimir Lenin was the founder of the Soviet Union also known as the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics. Lenin's communist party overthrew Nicholas II of Imperialist Russia and created the USSR. However, USSR wasn't officially established till 1922. The famous Russian revolution took place in November, but it is referred to as October Revolution as the Tsar regime was following the Gregorian calendar. However, 1905 a revolution took place through entire Russia, but it failed. Later, there was a split between the parties resulting in the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks. Lenin led Bolsheviks and Julius Martov led Mensheviks. After the Tsarist rule ended, power struggle took place between the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks. Allied forces assisted the Mensheviks. This later promoted to strained relations between the USSR and USA. This could have also been the initial cause of the Cold War. Russian Civil war devastated the entire economy. USSR was officially established during 1922 and Vladimir Illyich Lenin took over as its first General Secretary.



American troops in Vladivostok. These troops fought against Lenin's men. This led to a distrust amongst the minds of the Russians.

Lenin ruled the Soviet Union till his death in 1925. There was a brief power struggle. Joseph Stalin took over and very soon he seized total control. In the mid 1930's, anyone conspiring against the Soviet state was killed. Senior officers, military commanders, commissars were eliminated. Stalin took brutal and harsh steps to eliminate all enemies. Personally, in one-way I feel what Stalin did was right. However, taking the law in your own hand is right? As on date, I don't know to answer this question. During Stalin's period, regular life was monitored under the strict vigilance of the Red Army.



Bolsheviks march in the Red Square, Moscow.

Meanwhile, Hitler has been eyeing the USSR for his "lebensraum". He wanted more land for his German population. He felt the Slavics, baltics, Russians belonged to an inferior race. Moreover, he viewed the Soviet Union as a weak state. Stalin had other plans. He was determined to spread Communism across Europe. Soviet Union with a communist ideology believed that all people are equal. Nazi Germany with a fascist ideology believed that Germans were a part of a superior race, while the Russians, English, Slavics were an inferior race. With two opposite ideologies, a war was always eminent. Hitler had already opened up a front fighting the British. So he approached the USSR for a neutral pact popularly known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. German Foreign minister Ribbentrop and Soviet foreign minister Molotov signed it.



Field Marshall Georgy Zhukov inspects captured German tank during the German Invasion of USSR.

On June 22nd, 1941 Hitler violated the pact and invaded the USSR in Operation Barborassa. German troops were better trained than the Soviets. German tanks proved to be a real threat. Italians assisted Germans, Romanians while the USSR fought alone. Russian women were brutally raped, mutilated and killed. Soviet Union suffered the most casualties in any fought over in history and lost majority of its population. Hitler hoped to wrap up things before the onset of the Russian winter. Hitler targeted Stalingrad though his Generals suggested that Stalingrad(Volgograd) was not important. Stalingrad had the name of Stalin and capturing it would lower Soviet morale. Battle of Stalingrad was the bloodiest battle in human history in which Soviet Union defeated Nazi Germany, after which began the German retreat. German troops invaded rapidly but very soon ran out of supplies as the Russians were following scorched earth policy. They destroyed everything so that the Nazi's wouldn't use anything when they invade. Hitler took many wrong decisions despite his Generals giving him better decisions. Siege of Leningrad(now Petro grad) lasted for more than a year. Leningrad was cut off from outside world. Hitler ordered that Leningrad must die of starvation. Russian industries, small arms factory were shifted to Central Asian part of the USSR. Russian winter was too much for the Germans. Their tanks stopped working. But Soviet tanks designed for Russian winter proved to be too good for the Germans. Soviet women, children dug trenches, holes while men headed to the front lines. Unity was their strength. As the Germans retreated, Allied and Soviet leaders met at Yalta, Southern Ukraine(then USSR) to discuss about rebuilding Europe after German defeat. Joseph Stalin, Franklin Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill attended the meeting. Later, the Clement Atlee, Joseph Stalin and Harry Truman met at Potsdam to discuss about rebuilding Europe. On April 30th, 1945 Soviet flag was raised over the Reichstag. Horrible was over! After World War II, East Germany was controlled by the Soviets while the West was under Allied control. Soviet military was spread all over Europe. The Red Army was now feared. Britain and the United States were quite alarmed. This was known as the "Red Scare".


Soviet artillery division in operation during Second World War.


United States after dropping atomic bombs in Japan was regarded as a Super power. On the other hand, due to it's large size and military, Soviet Union was regarded as a major power. This led to a geopolitical tensed environment with each suspecting each other. This led to an arms race and both these nations spent heavily on military equipments.

Deepavali wishes

Dear Comrades, friends of our groups and readers, I wish you all a very happy Deepavali. I hope you would be having a lot of fun. Also consider the fact that there are many unfortunate children, women in this world. Try to contribute to their happiness and be blessed by God. I wish you all good luck in all aspects.

-Krishna Kumar.S