On this episode of The History of What's Happening Right Now, my friend/coworker Satnaam swings by to chat about the war in Ukraine.  As it would happen, when I went to community college, one of the courses I took was The History and Culture of Russia.  I had long been a fan of the Russian people thanks to their portrayals in popular western media.  While often the villains in films and video games because...you know...Communism, I was still fascinated with their  culture.  When I studied them in college, I learned to love their history even more.  Instead of cheering on Rocky Balboa, I was cheering on Ivan Drago, the true underdog.  Now, I was rooting for SPECTRE and the Soviets in all the James Bond movies I had seen and Command & Conquer video games I had played.  I was rooting for Vasili Zaitzev as he continued to defend the motherland from fascist invasion by the Germans.  

Nowadays, when I watch these films and play these games, I realize I was not meant to enjoy playing as the Soviet faction. Watching the film "Enemy At the Gates" now, I realize it's a soft propaganda movie showing not only the horrors of World War II but, the incompetence of Soviet leadership and how it was engaging the Wehrmacht in combat.  

We see Order 227 in full effect as Soviet Commissars pass out rifles to every other conscript and an extra magazine to every other.  They are then ordered to charge straight into a line of entrenched Germans while the Commissars setup machine guns behind them to prevent to retreating soldier from "stepping back" toward the Soviet line.  

Similarly, the video game Company of Heroes 2, puts you in command of the Red Army on the Eastern Front.  Developed by the Canadian studio Relic Entertainment, Mission 2 "Scorched Earth" has you hold off German invasion by using combat engineers equipped with flamethrowers to burn down houses and fields.  One you set a house ablaze, you see and hear civilians scream, as they run from a burning building.  Needless to say, the game was review bombed by Russian players who claim such atrocities never took place.  Even though you, the player, are in command of the Red Army, you receive said orders to burn down the houses and surrounding fields to slow the German advance.  You cannot beat the level without doing so.  I'm sure some are aware of the parallel between Napoleon and his invasion of Russia.  To slow his advance, Russians burned as the French advanced Eastward.  Culminating in the city of Moscow being razed.  

What will the history books say about Putin?  Only time will time.  My heart goes out to the Ukrainians.  The history of the Russians and Ukrainians is long and painful.  Their future does not have to be!

P.S.  Satnaam didn't catch it at the time but, I referred to the drug lord Pablo Picasso instead of Pablo Escobar.  

Further reading:  Russia and The Russians: A History.  By Geoffrey Hosking ISBN:  0-674-01114-7