Ask me anything about the Soviet Union/ Former Soviet States

[2dimes]

take the Transiberian and visit the pacific coast of Russia. The region is still pretty wild so I hope you like wilderness tourism. You'll definitely want to get a guide book if you ever end going.

Is that a boat, plane, train or bus? Kind of sounds like a plan. I'm almost thinking I could spend $15k on an ok sailboat and head up from Vancouver. When we get back sell the boat and recoupe some of the cost.

[targetman377]

how do you feel John Quincy Adams was viewed in Russia? As at the time he was foreign minster of the United states and on top of that America had just bought the Louisianian purchase from France. and with Napoleon Bonaparte attacking France where do you think Adams would, and America as a new independent nation was viewed in Russia?

[2dimes]

Is there any concerts you'd attend or are planning to attend while there? Is there bars with live music that you have been to?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1NnSzlXiy0

[Baron Von PWN]

take the Transiberian and visit the pacific coast of Russia. The region is still pretty wild so I hope you like wilderness tourism. You'll definitely want to get a guide book if you ever end going.

Is that a boat, plane, train or bus? Kind of sounds like a plan. I'm almost thinking I could spend $15k on an ok sailboat and head up from Vancouver. When we get back sell the boat and recoupe some of the cost.

the Trans-Siberian is a railway from Moscow-Vladivostoc. The rail line you linked to is a branch off of the trans siberian line.

[2dimes]

How far does it go?

Edit: To the pacific but quite a bit further south than I was thinking.

[InkL0sed]

If you were to set up a Foucault's Pendulum in Moscow, how much time would it take for it to complete one rotation?

[Baron Von PWN]

Is there any concerts you'd attend or are planning to attend while there? Is there bars with live music that you have been to?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1NnSzlXiy0

I attended a Gogol Bordello concert which was amazing! I went into the crazy but surprisingly courteous mosh pit. I haven't been to any bars with live music and now that I think of it haven't noticed any with live music though I'm sure it exists.

how do you feel John Quincy Adams was viewed in Russia? As at the time he was foreign minster of the United states and on top of that America had just bought the Louisianian purchase from France. and with Napoleon Bonaparte attacking France where do you think Adams would, and America as a new independent nation was viewed in Russia?

I know much more about the Soviet Union and the Russian federation than the Empire. I certainly don't know enough about the empire(or John Quincy Adams for that matter) to say what they thought of him. I don't believe there was all that much contact between Russia and the USA until the mid to late 1800's.

Anyways I figure there are two ways the Empire would view America as a whole.

1. A handy distraction for Britain during the revolution. And as a possible distraction for European powers with colonial interests in America. (this would be a positive)
2. A dangerous source of liberal, democratic and republican ideas. Which could threaten the Imperial order (an extreme negative depending on the Tsar).

However Russia would likely only be passingly interested in the USA as a trade partner perhaps, but it was too far away and unimportant for the Empire to concern itself much over the USA and the Americas. Other than to sell them a useless colony of barren rock and fishing villages.

[Baron Von PWN]

If you were to set up a Foucault's Pendulum in Moscow, how much time would it take for it to complete one rotation?

However long Putin told it to take.

[naxus]

Had the cold war gone "Hot" who would've won? U.S.S.R. or N.A.T.O.?

[Baron Von PWN]

Had the cold war gone "Hot" who would've won? U.S.S.R. or N.A.T.O.?

Soviet Union+ Warsaw pact vs USA+ Nato I think the commies would have won a conventional war. Their equipment was inferior however at the time they had a large numerical superiority and economies already geared up for war. The communist navies were their biggest weakness, but I think they had an edge in the air due to numbers( and only suffering from a then lesser technological deficit) and their Army i think had a clear advantage due to their numbers, equipment was similar, training might have been an Issue.

IF you want to include Nuclear and chemical weapons as well. In that case everybody loses. However the probably had more then enough nerve gas and biological warfare weapons to make sure even the cockroaches were dead.

[Maugena]

Could I become a Russian citizen to avoid dying during Khrushchev? (I'd even keep my mouth shut regarding politics!)
Also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WqwFhX6Cqg
For the motherland!

[Baron Von PWN]

Could I become a Russian citizen to avoid dying during Khrushchev? (I'd even keep my mouth shut regarding politics!)
Also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WqwFhX6Cqg
For the motherland!

its Stalin you gotta watch out for! Khrushchev wasn't nearly so purge happy. Foreingers (assuming you weren't at war with the SU) had pretty good survival rates mainly because they were all diplomats. They were watched like hawks but pretty low chance of being killed. Becoming a soviet citizen increases your chances of death.

[ViperOverLord]

Had the cold war gone "Hot" who would've won? U.S.S.R. or N.A.T.O.?

Soviet Union+ Warsaw pact vs USA+ Nato I think the commies would have won a conventional war. Their equipment was inferior however at the time they had a large numerical superiority and economies already geared up for war. The communist navies were their biggest weakness, but I think they had an edge in the air due to numbers( and only suffering from a then lesser technological deficit) and their Army i think had a clear advantage due to their numbers, equipment was similar, training might have been an Issue.

IF you want to include Nuclear and chemical weapons as well. In that case everybody loses. However the probably had more then enough nerve gas and biological warfare weapons to make sure even the cockroaches were dead.

I would never bet against the U.S. of A in a true World War situation. We're undefeated and always will be.

[Timminz]

PWN, government aside, what's the view of the average man-on-the-street there about Belarus? Is it a comrade, a necessary evil, etc.?

I can't say I've really talked to anyone about Belarus but from comments I've heard about Belorussians, they see them as sort-of backwards peasants ( when I make a mistake with my Russian my Russians proffs sometimes say I sound like Belorussian peasant). However I'm not entirely sure how this translates to the broader population. My feeling is they view them as a friend if a little slow in the head.

So, would you say that Belarus is the Newfoundland of the former Soviet Union?

[Pedronicus]

I would never bet against the U.S. of A in a true World War situation. We're undefeated and always will be.

you have to be over 18 to bet

[saxitoxin]

Had the cold war gone "Hot" who would've won? U.S.S.R. or N.A.T.O.?

Soviet Union+ Warsaw pact vs USA+ Nato I think the commies would have won a conventional war. Their equipment was inferior however at the time they had a large numerical superiority and economies already geared up for war. The communist navies were their biggest weakness, but I think they had an edge in the air due to numbers( and only suffering from a then lesser technological deficit) and their Army i think had a clear advantage due to their numbers, equipment was similar, training might have been an Issue.

IF you want to include Nuclear and chemical weapons as well. In that case everybody loses. However the probably had more then enough nerve gas and biological warfare weapons to make sure even the cockroaches were dead.

I would never bet against the U.S. of A in a true World War situation. We're undefeated and always will be.

L. M. A. O.

PWN is 1000% correct.

Forget the hysterical jingoism of Tomas Clancy, America's obsession with blue-jean pants and MTV would have done nothing to help western Europe. NATO wouldn't have known what hit it.

The air net over the Fulda Gap would have been swept aside by the DDR Luftstreitkräfte and the Soviet 16th Air Army like hot knife through butter. Meanwhile, western Europe would be frantically trying to mobilize their pathetic reserves, but find every railway switching station, armory and burst tower sabotaged by pre-positioned infiltration cells of the DDR Combat Groups of the Working Class and Czechoslovak Worker's Militia.

While NATO was still utterly blinded and fumbling around, Volksmarine fast attack craft would put every UK Royal Navy frigate in the Baltic on the bottom of the sea in about 10 minutes flat, allowing Polish hydrofoils to begin beaching Polish People's Army Naval Infantry brigades in Denmark, making mincemeat of Danish coast artillery.

Concurrently, armored divisions from Soviet Group Forces North would roll through Finland slowing long enough only to smile and wave at the useless protestations of neutrality by the Finn Frontier Guard. And then ... oh hallo, Norway! ... all your oil belong to us!

Canada & US reinforcements would never have been able to put to sea by the time it was over. Seven days and the Friendship Pact would be accepting NATO's surrender in Brussels. Seven days for a world of peace, equality, socialism and economic egalitarianism.

The entire reason the US had to illegally arm the "west" German and Dutchland client states with nuclear weapons in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is because they knew this to be fact.

[Baron Von PWN]

So, would you say that Belarus is the Newfoundland of the former Soviet Union?

Them or ukrainians.

[2dimes]

So, would you say that Belarus is the Newfoundland of the former Soviet Union?

Them or ukrainians.

Ah Edmonton, the capital of the province. Have you been to the mall?

[jonesthecurl]

What do Russians think of Frank Sinatra?

[Baron Von PWN]

So, would you say that Belarus is the Newfoundland of the former Soviet Union?

Them or ukrainians.

Ah Edmonton, the capital of the province. Have you been to the mall?

You can actually go to the prairies? I thought they were only viewable from plane (in other words no).

[Baron Von PWN]

What do Russians think of Frank Sinatra?

they seem to like American cultural icons, so they probably think positively of him. I'm not really sure though.

[2dimes]

You can actually go to the prairies? I thought they were only viewable from plane (in other words no).

You city folks. Maybe we should get some horses and check out North East Siberia. Except my back wouldn't like that.

[Baron Von PWN]

You can actually go to the prairies? I thought they were only viewable from plane (in other words no).

You city folks. Maybe we should get some horses and check out North East Siberia. Except my back wouldn't like that.

We could probably rent 4 wheelers.

[Army of GOD]

What is my next question?

[Baron Von PWN]

What is my next question?

you were going to ask me something about the soviet union or Russia.