Re:World War II in the Pacific, narrated by my grandpa
by bane on Thursday May 29, 2014 @10:45AM
(#7816442)
No, mid 90s, not too long after the curtain fell. I'd add that we didn't know anything about where we were going which turned into some hilarity when we arrived with winter clothes expecting cold and permafrost (being in Siberia and all that), and instead getting 100 degF weather with 90% humidity. The exchange was loaded with these kinds of cultural and environmental learning experiences, neither group knew anything about each other. It was really a meeting of two complete alien cultures. It was really the point of that kind of thing though wasn't it?
The Russian families who took us in were some of the warmest, most hospitable people I've ever met. They really worked hard to integrate us as well as they could and give us a memorable experience. In fact almost everywhere we went, even out into the deep countryside, we were treated incredibly well by almost everybody.
We got to return the favor later when their kids came to stay with us, and apparently that particular exchange program continued on for many years after that. I'm almost sad to say I don't think the Americans they met were as universally warm or welcoming.
They didn't shut down the Comintern, their official organization for subverting and destroying us, until 2 years minus about 5 weeks after Operation Barbarossa (the Nazi invasion), while we (the US) started supplying them with equipment on credit ~3 months after (for gold and minerals before, while the first arrangement was hammered out).
They refused to supply us with meteorological info, which seriously hindered our campaign against Japan.
They seized all the B-29s that were forced to land on their territory (was later copied as the Tupolev Tu-4); while this was consistent with their need to maintain their neutrality towards Japan after some engagements in Manchuria (where they owned the Japanese, but they really needed those troops; Georgy Zhukov earned his spurs and vital experience there), holding the crews was not, I think. They were "allowed to escape into American-occupied Iran" per Wikipedia and e.g. Tillman's Whirlwind: The Air War Against Japan, 1942-1945 (http://www.amazon.com/Whirlwind-The-Against-Japan-1942-1945/...).
This of course says absolutely nothing about how the two peoples felt about each other, and our mutual gratitude for what the other did in terminating Nazi Germany with extreme prejudice.
Was your visit during the Cold War?