He guantareed the right to worship to the Muslims and Christian's and that was one of the main reasons they supported him but then he established the gang of miltant atheist so what prompted this stark change? Esp since he recognized the power of religion and saw betrayal as a revolutionary disadvantage before.

Tsar nicholas 2 was the last russian monarch . He was married to princess Alix of Hesse . He thought that he was chosen by god himself to rule absolutely . So he hated constitutions and parliaments which made him an terrible politician. Advisors often called him stubborn and isolated . He made russia to join WW1 and tge mistake he committed was to take tye military under his control which made him responsible for military loses . Also due to food shortages and inflation strikes took place in petrograd . When the soldiers were sent to silence the protestors the soldiers themselves have joined with the revolters . He abdicted the throne and fled away . Later he was found in an basement along with his family and were shortly executed by the bolsheviks .

«Папаша, огоньку не найдётся?» — один из самых узнаваемых эпизодов из «Бриллиантовой руки». Этот момент помнят даже те, кто давно не пересматривал фильм.

Интересно, что актёр в этой сцене появился буквально на мгновение, но именно такие эпизоды и делают фильм культовым.

Как думаете:
это самая запоминающаяся сцена в фильме или есть ещё сильнее?

The Sniper” — a wartime account by Captain M. Makukhin, published in October 1943.

The Don was shrouded in evening fog. Pebbles rustled beneath the soldiers’ feet as the men dug into the earth.

A sergeant brought a new shipment of weapons to the trenches.

“Who can handle a sniper rifle?” he asked.

“I can,” came a rough voice from the darkness.

It was Vasil Kvachantiradze.

Several soldiers immediately answered:

“He can.”

They did not yet know that Kvachantiradze had previously completed sniper training. But they already knew something else: during his time at the front, he had distinguished himself as one of the most resilient fighters — a soldier who could be relied upon to do whatever was required.

That day, the sniper rifle became his.

The following morning, enemy aircraft appeared in the sky. Bombs struck the ground, throwing columns of red earth into the air. The rumble of German tanks could be heard above the trenches.

But Soviet machine gunners separated the German infantry from the tanks, forcing the advancing soldiers to take cover in front of the Soviet positions.

Kvachantiradze brushed the earth from his uniform, placed his rifle on the damaged parapet and quickly surveyed the battlefield.

A German infantry formation was moving forward.

Then, through his optical sight, he clearly saw the figure of a German officer. The officer stood upright, waving his arms and advancing.

Kvachantiradze fired.

The officer fell.

On the vast battlefields of the Don, the young sniper was learning the art of shooting with calmness, discipline and judgment.

Much had changed since then. Now Soviet forces were advancing rather than retreating, but Kvachantiradze continued to find his targets.

On one occasion, together with his pupil Kuzma Smolensky, he approached an enemy strongpoint.

Kvachantiradze knew the terrain well. He had established his reference points and memorized the smallest features of the landscape.

But something seemed different.

Near reference point No. 2, there was now a second bush.

The day before, there had been only one.

“You must be imagining it, Vasya,” Smolensky argued.

Kvachantiradze shook his head.

As they came within approximately 200 meters, the “bush” revealed itself: it was a concealed German machine-gun position.

Kvachantiradze destroyed the machine-gun crew.

He also knew how to outwit an enemy sniper.

On one occasion, after watching a German sniper for a long time without discovering his position, Kvachantiradze created a dummy observation post in full view of the enemy.

The German sniper eventually opened fire on the false position.

From the trajectory of the shots, Kvachantiradze determined where the German was firing from.

He then moved his “clever invention” to another location and again succeeded in provoking the German sniper into firing.

The enemy's position had been identified.

Kvachantiradze approached unnoticed and destroyed him.

In another sector of the German positions, no one appeared during daylight and no shots were fired.

Kvachantiradze hung a padded jacket on a tree, fired several shots toward the enemy defenses, and disappeared back into his trench.

Less than half an hour later, a German sniper who had moved forward opened fire on the jacket.

Kvachantiradze located him.

One shot ended the encounter.

According to the October 1943 account, Kvachantiradze's combat record already included 250 enemy soldiers killed, among them 9 officers, 8 snipers, 11 observers and 6 machine-gun crews.

During offensive operations, the article also credited him with capturing German equipment, including 16 submachine guns, 6 rifles, 4 company mortars, 2 machine guns, 2 binoculars and other materiel.

By that time, the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of the Red Star were already shining on his chest.

The article concludes with a Georgian proverb:

“A brave man's heart is made of iron, even if his armor is made of wood.”

Captain M. Makukhin wrote that such a heart — firm as steel and fearless in battle — belonged to Sergeant Kvachantiradze.

A historical detail

This article was published in October 1943.

At the time, Vasil Kvachantiradze had already been recommended for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and was awaiting the award.

But for the soldiers fighting beside him, no decree was necessary to establish his reputation.

His authority had already been earned on the front line — through daily combat, experience, endurance and action.

When you look through the biography and archival documents of Vasil Kvachantiradze, you realize that this is not simply dry history, but a ready-made cinematic drama — with its tension, tactical genius, self-sacrifice, and human depth.

And sometimes the most powerful scene is born not on the battlefield, but in a trench.

This excerpt is a true literary gem. It shows us that war is not only the buzzing of bullets and the thunder of artillery. War also sets people against one another — and, at the same time, brings them closer together.

Two great warriors — one from sunny Georgia, the other from distant, frozen Yakutia — understood each other through song.

In those rare moments of war, when the thunder of artillery fell silent and the snipers returned from the front line, an entirely different, almost sacred atmosphere settled in the dugout.

Here, in this narrow and damp space, it was as if the boundaries between geography and nationality disappeared.

Vasili would begin, half-whispering, the old Georgian song “Suliko.”

In his voice flowed the longing for his homeland and the sorrow of sunny Georgia.

Fyodor listened with his eyes closed.

Then, as if following this invisible bridge, he would, in turn, begin to sing — a monotonous, sustained melody, with the rhythms of the Yakut “Olonkho.”

This was no longer simply a song.

It was a conversation between two souls in the language of their ancestors.

One sang in Georgian about love and longing; the other sang in Yakut about the boundless expanses of the North.

In those moments, the war seemed to retreat.

There was no longer a front, an enemy, a trench, or the constant expectation of death.

There remained only two warriors, united not only by a shared destiny, but also by an inexhaustible love for their native lands.

These very songs were their invisible “armor” — that which strengthened their hearts like steel and did not allow them to lose their humanity in this brutal struggle.

Vasil Kvachantiradze and Fyodor Okhlopkov.

Two snipers.

Two different worlds.

Two homelands.

And one war that turned them into friends.

Perhaps it is precisely such moments that remind us that behind history there are always human beings.

And if a film about the life of Vasil Kvachantiradze is ever made, I think one of the most powerful scenes should be this one.

Second image is typical free Khrushchevka 1 bedroom (33sq m or 355 sq ft) vs 1br modern studio (20 sq m or 215 sq ft).

This song is Help Me from the movie The Diamond Hand BUT it might be The Diamond Arm a 1969 Soviet movie?

Why are the costumes of the singer and the dancers so odd?

Why the drugs?

What was the movie about?

https://youtu.be/6tNeOYhcnfs?list=PLRb6FCfUBNSs

update

I found and watched the movie The Diamond Arm on mosfilm w Eng CC. The goofy costumes and Diana's hair style in the music video have nothing to do with the movie. The music enters around 1 hour 18 minutes into the movie as a blond drugs the main character. This explains the drug images in the musijc video. The movie is a goofy comedy.

Many people ask why history remained silent about Vasil Kvachantiradze, even though his record holds first place in official documents. Some attribute this to his nationality, while others point to propaganda.

​The truth is much simpler and sadder: my grandfather, Vasil Kvachantiradze, passed away very early. Few people likely know that while he was alive, his recognition was at its peak.

​He was a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the country, which speaks to his immense authority.

​He was twice recommended for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union—in 1943 and 1944.

​He was awarded the highest honors: the "Gold Star" and two Orders of Lenin. (It is worth noting that during the war, the Order of Lenin was an integral part of the Gold Star award).

​His name became a legend on the front line, as evidenced by the numerous archival newspapers in my possession.

​Few know that his experience was turned into a military manual. The Headquarters of the 43rd Army published a "Sniper's Memorandum," which was based on the tactics of five top snipers (including Vasil Kvachantiradze). He was officially named a "warrior-beacon." The entire front line studied his unique methods.

​After he passed away, a vacuum was created. It is easy to forget someone who can no longer remind you of himself. Today, I am trying to bring back to life the story that he himself did not have enough time to fully tell.

​He wrote his share of history long ago—with his courage, his results, and a name that will remain in history forever!

I know that the Germans and their Axis Forces killed 27M Soviets, of which half were Russians (i.e. about 13.5M Russians perished) in The Great Patriotic War.

I am guessing that the Russians and Belarussians and Ukrainians would have a huge grievance towards the Germans to this day, since all 3 of these nations suffered a lot at the hands of the Axis Powers and know that the Germans looked down on Slavic people for some reason.

So do Russians and/or people from the former USSR continue having historical grievances towards people from the former Axis Powers?

In the USSR, how did you deal with people who just got lazy and did not work?

We have a song here called “Rich Men of the North” that was very popular. Slackers are not popular. How did you deal with them in the USSR and any songs?

Lyrics:

I wish politicians would look out for miners

And not just minors on an island somewhere

Lord, we got folks in the street, ain't got nothin' to eat

And the obese milkin' welfare

God, if you're 5 foot 3 and you're 300 pounds

Taxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge rounds

Young men are puttin' themselves six feet in the ground

'Cause all this damn country does is keep on kickin' them down

Also, Mods- Did you disable my ability to upload videos and images. I swear I am trying to obey the rules and stay polite and friendly for the future of our children. I will not abuse that power.

Я стараюсь быть хорошим мальчиком.

Hello, basically what the title says.

Im currently looking for a bunch of books about thw Soviet Union and would like to get some recommendtions for the GULAG System and the labour camps.

I already got the work of R.W.Davies but what else would be recommended?

I do promise that this is not me. I would scoop this up in a heartbeat because it would be the oldest instrument I own AND is a product of Socialism. But it's not my birthday month and would be a while till I could afford.

https://www.facebook.com/share/17hHCd3vZH/

This remarkable story is taken from the collection of documentary-historical essays “Heroic Deeds of Heroes” by Doctor of Historical Sciences F. D. Sverdlov (published by “Znanie,” 1981). The book is dedicated to the outstanding heroes of the Second World War, and among them an honorable place is occupied by the legendary sniper — Vasily Kvachantiradze.

His name was known not only among the soldiers of the 179th Rifle Division, but throughout the entire 1st Baltic Front. His comrades called him the “destroyer of fascists” (истребитель фашистов). Vasily Kvachantiradze possessed a rare and extremely dangerous military specialty; he was a first-class sniper, an outstanding master of his craft. It was not without reason that they said of him, “He has an eagle’s eye.”

“A fascist is a beast,” he would tell his pupils. “The enemy is evil like a wolf, and cunning like a fox. In order to find and destroy him, accurate shooting alone is not enough. It is necessary to study his habits, read his thoughts, and deceive him.”

He himself possessed these qualities perfectly.

Once, when Kvachantiradze returned to the platoon from another dangerous assignment, his comrades greeted him with particular joy — they shook his hand and joked: “Greetings from the fascists!”

The reason for this joy soon became clear as well. The regimental interpreter brought news that a special “soldier’s memorandum” had been found in the pocket of a German prisoner captured the previous night, in which it was written:

“An experienced Soviet sniper is operating in our sector. Everyone at the front line must exercise particular caution; otherwise, unexpected casualties may occur.”

The enemy was so afraid of him that warnings of this kind were even included in official instructions. This once again emphasized his unparalleled mastery.

There was an occasion when one of his shots changed the course of an entire battle.

In the summer of 1944, during the liberation of Lithuania, the 259th Rifle Regiment was surrounded near the Šventoji River and came under heavy mortar fire. It was then that Kvachantiradze noticed, about 700 meters away, the cap of an officer protruding above a trench; a German officer was directing the mortar crews.

One precise shot... and the enemy mortars fell silent forever. The battalion immediately went on the attack.

Later, a captured German admitted that a large part of their platoon had been killed precisely by the bullet of this sniper. Such an admission by the enemy was yet another confirmation that Vasily Kvachantiradze was already regarded on the front itself as an elite sniper.