Lecture on Myths from Soviet History

Introduction

• History often used politically and lacks nuance.
• Focus on myths surrounding the Soviet Union, not other communist countries like China or Cuba.

Myth 1: Karl Marx Caused Millions of Deaths

• Marx never killed anyone; deaths occurred decades after his death.
• Blaming Marx akin to blaming other philosophers for unrelated historical atrocities.
• Marx’s idea of communism was stateless, unlike Soviet Marxist-Leninism.
• Lenin adapted Marxism into Marxist-Leninism, establishing a party to control the revolution.

Myth 2: Communism Has Never Been Tried

• Basic definition involves common ownership of goods and elimination of private property.
• Soviets fit common definition of communism but not the idealized version where state is eliminated.

Myth 3: Cold War Began Post-WWII

• Tensions between the US and Soviet Union predate WWII.
• US recognized Soviet Union in 1933 but had opposed it earlier, including during the Russian Civil War.

Myth 4: Stalin's Purges Were Unique

• Lenin also conducted purges, setting a precedent for Stalin.
• Examples include Red Terror and disbandment of the Constituent Assembly.

Myth 5: Holodomor and Soviet Atrocities

• Famine in Ukraine in 1932 was man-made, possibly intentional.
• Stalin’s reign included millions sent to gulags and widespread executions.

Myth 6: US Saved Soviet Union in WWII

• Soviet Union turned tide against Nazis at Stalingrad and Kursk before D-Day.
• Eastern Front critical to Nazi defeat.

Myth 7: Soviet Union Not Imperialistic

• Soviet control over Eastern Bloc, similar to US anti-communist actions.
• Soviet actions in Afghanistan akin to American imperialism in Vietnam.

Myth 8: Soviet Union Under General Secretary Was Unchanging

• Different leaders had varying policies: Khrushchev’s destalinization, Brezhnev’s stagnation, Gorbachev’s reforms.
• Gulags abolished post-Stalin.

Myth 9: Anti-communism and Red Scare

• Red-baiting used to suppress dissent in US.
• Soviet subversion real but not pervasive.
• Cultural Marxism and postmodern neo-Marxism misleading terms.

Myth 10: Reagan Won the Cold War

• Collapse of Soviet Union more due to internal factors than Reagan’s policies.
• Gorbachev’s reforms and Eastern Bloc independence key factors.

Myth 11: Soviets Were Jewish

• Soviet Union was atheist, and Stalin committed anti-Semitic acts.
• Anti-Semitic conspiracies link Jews to Soviet communism inaccurately.

Conclusion

• Discussion on complexities of Soviet history.
• Encouragement to support content creation through Patreon.

Additional Notes

• Collaboration with Cody from Alternate History Hub.