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| President Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate |
HERE is the speech.
The world was a buzz with the unrest in Europe and people were afraid there might be blood spilled in buckets if the commies became enraged. America had kept up the pressure on the USSR under Ronald Reagan by increasing the spending on defense , including the "Star Wars" program. Along with the Pope going to Poland and encouraging them to fight for their freedom, along with the determination of the British PM Thatcher, the people of Poland down through to Romania and Bulgaria threw off the commies. All this happened in a very short period of time too.
The world was a buzz with the unrest in Europe and people were afraid there might be blood spilled in buckets if the commies became enraged. America had kept up the pressure on the USSR under Ronald Reagan by increasing the spending on defense , including the "Star Wars" program. Along with the Pope going to Poland and encouraging them to fight for their freedom, along with the determination of the British PM Thatcher, the people of Poland down through to Romania and Bulgaria threw off the commies. All this happened in a very short period of time too.
I never thought I would see the destruction of such a tyrannical regime as the USSR. But we did. Of course you never can truly know what you will get when things change and we see the rise of a new tyrant, Vladimir Putin and his cronies in the old Russia. The Federation of States of the old USSR exists of course, but the power of destruction really rests in the hands of Putin. I think he misses the USSR and would like to re-instate it's hegemony over the old members.
I think Reagan and the Pope were truly the movers and shakers in the push too get the commies to take a down the Berlin Wall and open the gates. I give some credit to Mikhail Gorbachev as the man who saw this coming for his country and was able to allow it to happen without much bloodshed. But the heroes of the movement to throw off the commies from Russia and their subordinates goes to those pictures on this page. Funny how the millions of Europeans threw off the smothering governments of the communist world to once again be free. America has been headed the other way as we have seen. Millions of laws, and the attacks on our Founding documents and what they mean seem never ending.
So America should rejoice that a couple of hundred million people were brave enough to follow the lead of the FOUR and rid the world )almost) of that radical liberal/leftist tyranny called communism.
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| Pope John Paul 11 |
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| Lech Walesa |
Thank you for remembering this historic time. I agree, Mikhail Gorbach earned a portion of the credit. It was a courageous effort on his part. But I agree, this monumental event would not have occurred without Reagan, Thatcher, Walesa, and Pope John Paul II.
ReplyDeleteSadly the "speak loudly and carry a twig" approach of the community organizer in chief is fostering conditions which jeopardize this achievement.
-JG
I agree JG. Leaders like those four may not be back for a while and we see what happens. Putin, Iran, ISIL and the brothers of evil start taking over.
DeleteFor his efforts in ending worldwide communism, Gorbachev is universally depised in Russia. Recently there was talk in the Russian duma about trying him for treason...25 years later.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting and surprising. I recall reading that you used to work for a large firm in Russia, so I imagine you still have contacts there. I hope anti-Gorbachev sentiment doesn't prevail in the former USSR satellite states as well.
DeleteIn my Winnebago travels across the country, I've met a few dozen emigrants from Russia who have the opposite opinion. They have confirmed the poor conditions under their communistic rule and they shared their exasperation over the socialist path that the Democratic leadership has been trying to steer our country.
Many Russian emigrants (such as congressional candidate Igor Birman) appreciate the our nation and constitution more than natural born U.S. citizens, as they know first hand what it's like to live without freedom.
Спасибо за информацию.
-JG
You are welcome. My friends there hate Gorbachev and love Putin. I was surprised last time we spoke that in their opinion Putin had no troops in Ukraine and it was all the Ukranians fault for ethnic cleansing. The words came directly from state run media and they bought it hook line and sinker. They wish that things would go back to the way they were in the 80's. In their opinion, too many immigrants that do not bother to learn the language and too much corruption. Feel free to draw your own conclusions and comparisons. I cannot say that I disagree with them. It is what they are used to...they did not grow up in such a system. A different conversation when time permits.
ReplyDeleteI think Gorby moved to SF after the revolution in the USSR. He then founded a GREEN organization. A good fit for a communist.
DeleteI did not know that. Which org did he start?
DeleteIt is in SF. I don't recall the name.
DeleteUsing Google, I found this article regarding Gorbachev's organizaiton: http://articles.latimes.com/1993-04-17/news/mn-24046_1_peace-foundation
DeleteThe organization name is "Gorbachev Foundation USA". Apparently it's located on a decommissioned military base somewhere in San Francisco.
--JG
Thanks JG, Barry can check it out. I believe it is a GREEN organization. My guess, a non-profit. SBC and Frisch probably known all about it. LOL!
DeleteIt's interesting and encouraging that your Russian associates and Conservative Americans have a common perspective regarding immigration, language, and corruption.
ReplyDeleteI'm not well informed about the "ethnic cleansing" in the Ukraine, but I do know that the followers of the so called "religion of peace" have not been so peaceful in the region. Since the US major news media has become a Pravda like propaganda service, I would not be surprised to learn that there's more to the situation in the Ukraine than we're receiving.
--JG