Americans in Russia. What do Americans think about Russia?

The attitude of Americans towards Russia (most often not that negative, but in most cases absolutely wrong) seems to be based on the generally accepted propaganda in the United States in the media, which "brainwashes" its own citizens. And the origins of this phenomenon should be sought in the back streets of history. Only after studying all historical events and it becomes clear what modern Americans think about Russia and the Russians.

A bit of history: the outcome of World War II

It is probably worth starting with history. The fact is that America and the former Soviet Union have long been isolated from each other. "Wild West" and had no idea what the Old World, in particular the USSR, lives like our people.

But the crossing of nations occurred during the Second World War, when the anti-Hitler coalition was formed , in which the USSR, the United States and Great Britain acted as allies. It was then that the Americans began to think about the way the country lives, opposing Nazism.

But even here everything is not so simple. At the end of the war, the former allies, from the USA's submission, turned into irreconcilable opponents. Despite the peaceful process of the Yalta Conference on 4-11 February 1945, it was felt that the States and Britain were not tuned for friendly relations with the USSR. The question was only how to share influence in Europe and the Far East.

Cold War and the Iron Curtain

Since then, the Soviet Union has become a common American citizen in Russia. And all residents of the then state were called only Russian, although it could be a native of any republic or nationality.

Russia through the eyes of the Americans, or rather the USSR, at that time looked like a powerful power with which the United States had a constant competition, which eventually grew into an arms race. They believed that it was we who were building up our military capabilities, and we were convinced that our main enemy was America, which was creating ever new types of weapons. This applies primarily to medium- and long-range ballistic intercontinental missiles (if anyone does not remember or does not know, in contrast to the American Triedent and Polaris, the best counterparts under the SS-18 brand and then the SS-20 were created), not to mention the nuclear confrontation, Which could lead to a new war of complete annihilation.

As for the so-called "Iron Curtain", information about life in two countries for ordinary citizens was extremely limited and was submitted in a completely distorted manner.

Formed opinion on the way of life in the former USSR

In those years, we were presented as a "decaying West", and they, in turn, believed that the USSR was in complete chaos: bears were walking around the streets and constantly drunk men in sheepskin coats and felt boots playing balalaika. This is how the image of a bear with a balalaika, still being presented by some Western media, was formed.

The confrontation between the two superpowers reached an apogee in the period of the so-called Caribbean crisis, when humanity stood on the threshold of the Third World with the use of nuclear weapons. The only question was who will be the first to press the button. It's no wonder that Americans about Russia and Russians (the common name of the USSR and all its citizens at the time) formed the only opinion: "councils" will be attacked first. This aggravated and Nikita Khrushchev, knocking his boot on the platform and promised to show America "kuz'kina mother." By the way, on the maps of that time it was possible to meet the designation of the former Union not as USSR, but as Russia.

A girl named Samantha Smith

When the former head of the KGB, Yuri Andropov, came to power in the USSR, one of the most unprecedented events in the history of relations between the US and the USSR occurred. American schoolgirl wrote Andropov an open letter, in which she asked why the USSR wants to conquer the whole world? In response, the Secretary General of the CPSU Central Committee invited her to visit the country.

Samantha became the starting point, which had a strong impact on how Russia looks through the eyes of Americans (in the sense that the former Soviet Union). At that time, she visited a regular camp, where she wore a pioneer uniform and communicated with her peers. And it was she who debunked the myth of the barbarians living in Eastern Europe.

Apparently, this is someone from Washington (most likely, Langley from the CIA) was unhappy. There is no evidence of involvement of the special services in the death of Samantha, but the fact is obvious. The plane on which she was flying with her parents crashed, as stated in the official report, because of bad weather conditions, when the pilot missed the runway for as much as 200 meters.

The attitude of Americans towards Russia and the Soviet Union during the period of perestroika

Nevertheless, soon there was a warming in relations between the two superpowers. In the mid-80s of last century, the Americans' opinion about Russia (as the main component of the USSR) has changed.

This was facilitated by the appearance on the political scene of Mikhail Gorbachev, who over many years of confrontation decided to meet with US President Ronald Reagan in Reykjavik. In a sense, it has become historical, since it was then that packages of documents were signed to limit strategic offensive weapons.

The so-called perestroika and glasnost, which occurred in the USSR, could not but affect the United States. Remember, not only our people, but also ordinary Americans at that time wore t-shirts with sickles, hammers, red stars and inscriptions like I love Gorby (Gorbachev's political nickname), USSR or USSR.

At the same time, because of the "Iron Curtain" came the first Soviet rock band, which hit the TOP-5 hit parade of the US charts. It was Gorky Park with Bang composition. And the same group performed in 1989 in the Luzhniki at the concert "Monsters of Rock in Moscow" (along with such world celebrities as Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi, Cinderella, Motley Crue, Skid Row and Scorpions). For many Americans, it was a complete surprise that Russian men can play not only balalaika and sing folk songs, but also create "rocket" compositions of world level.

Yes, what to say, the fact remains, but when the Scorpions were at a reception at Gorbachev, he said that the composition of Wind Of Change he liked in the work of the group the most. Not surprising. After all, this song is dedicated to the changes in the USSR that took place at that time.

The collapse of the USSR

The coup in 1991 led to the complete collapse of the Soviet Union. Independent countries and republics, included in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), were established. Many expected that this would weaken all the former republics of the USSR. At first, it was so.

But the failed process of reforming both the state and society was not stopped. New Russia appeared before the world in a completely different form, which, if not shocked, certainly surprised many.

Boris Yeltsin

Deny the role of Boris Yeltsin in the formation of the state can not. Although he did not complete his mission to the end, nevertheless it was he who was on tanks in August 1991 and called on the troops to stop the punitive operation.

Americans about Russia as a newly created power responded in two ways. Some thought that the country would become the heir to the USSR ideologically in relation to the West, others that an era of global change was coming.

But the Soviet era with its global principles could not be destroyed just like this, in one day. That is why most of the reforms and undertakings were left on paper only. The country needed a new leader with a tight grip. And it has appeared.

New Russia and Vladimir Putin: the surprise of the West, without borders

The former deputy and then the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, in 1999, after Yeltsin's departure, became president of the Russian Federation. The political figure of Putin in many caused either doubt, or distrust, in general, about him there was no special information (former FSB colonel, what do you want). The world began to look at the new leader.

At that time, Americans were arguing about Russia and Putin, perhaps, much more than about their own problems inside the country. Even some, so to speak, "psychologists" tried to get an idea of this man on the basis of behavioral manners, gestures, views, compression of the lips, hand movements, etc. And now many people are engaged in this.

But, to the great chagrin of all these masters, who want to become famous for someone else's expense, it is worth noting that the former scout (if you want, the counterintelligence) can control his emotions and gestures, which means that all the conclusions of such "experts" are zero.

What do Americans think about Russia and Putin now?

What is most interesting is that after a double presidential term, Vladimir Putin stayed on. Then many publications tried to find out what Russia looks like through the eyes of Americans in this aspect. Some naively believed that after the appointment of prime minister under the president Dmitry Medvedev, Putin would cease to influence international politics.

But ... it did not happen. As you know, in many parliamentary countries the prime minister sometimes has even more power than the head of state. In this respect, Vladimir Putin turned out to be the very person who took the reins of government in his own hands.

On the other hand, no matter what the evil tongues say, it was from the giving of Putin that Great Russia began its revival. Now not only Americans about Russia and the Russians say that this is supposedly imperial ambition. Let it be so, so what?

Remember, after all, the old mother Russia, although she lived both in luxury and poverty, nevertheless became a scientific and cultural center not only of Europe, but of the whole world. How many scientists who contributed to the world science, how many Nobel laureates in physics, how many classics of literature whose immortal works are still studied all over the world! Note that this does not fit in any way with the image of the village peasant, who was artificially created by the world (and primarily American) media.

Americans in Russia, when they come to the country, do not see what they were presented with for many years "on a silver platter". This is understandable. After all, to hear and see first hand is not the same thing. So what do Americans say about Russia now? They are sure that every Russian family has nuclear weapons at home! Think about it, well, is not it nonsense?

In the light of recent events in Ukraine and Syria, when Russia is accused of illegal invasion of these countries, the situation becomes somewhat inadequate. What do the Americans think about Russia from their own media? But only that the Russian Federation is an aggressor country trying to conquer the whole world and to subordinate everyone to it (does not resemble a letter from Samantha Smith?). Of course, the most, so to speak, "killed" A. Turchinov (head of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine), saying that Russia soon plans to strike a nuclear strike in the States and Europe. Taking into account the fact that Ukraine at the moment, although it is not recognized and not proven, is under US external control, such a statement caused a big resonance in American society.

Although, if you dig deeper, what Americans say about Russia, for them this is not all important. Judging by polls produced by independent publications and sociological companies or analysts, US residents are mostly interested in what is happening in their country and in their homes. And the level of education leaves much to be desired. The same University of New York is one of the ten most prestigious universities in the world. But how can this be: students do not even know the basic geography? Well, yes, there is such a country on the world map (Russia), I heard something somewhere. At best, they will say that this is a monster that started the war. But many students even find it difficult to show it on a geographic map ...

But the Americans in Russia see a completely different picture. Great Russia is reborn, albeit with difficulty, but it is inevitable. Do not want to trust the media? Refer to the predictions of Vanga or the American-beloved Edgar Cayce whose prophecies are acknowledged to be the most accurate, since they were realized (and 99.9% of cases out of a hundred).

So, it was said that in the period from 2016 to 2020, Russia will receive a new birth and become the cradle of not only the world religion based on Christianity, but also the cradle of all mankind. States, Britain, Western Europe will be wiped off the face of the earth (flooded), and the place of salvation will be Siberia. Is it not for this reason that the US and the cynical marginals ruling there (otherwise they are not called) are already trying to create a springboard for resettlement in the territory of the Russian Federation?

If we take into account the fact that it is believed that the unofficial Council of the Nine rules the world (there are a lot of references to this) with people from Masonic lodges, then the question of what Americans think about Russia (meaning ordinary citizens) Such a background that it is impossible to imagine. In the end, they will suffer, although either because of the influence of propaganda, or because of the limitations of the mind, this is still not understood.

What is America most afraid of?

But as for the fears of the United States, ordinary ordinary people do not know about this. They are scarred by a military threat, but in reality everything turns out to be much more serious. The first thing to consider is the external debt of the US, which reached a figure of almost two tens of trillions of dollars. The gold and gold fund, which supposedly stores gold in bullion, judging by independent investigations, is only a myth. In fact, there is no gold in the vaults, the dollar is maintained artificially, but allocations from the state budget for the same military needs "spit" all reasonable indicators. Sanctions against the Russian Federation and some other countries are proved only by the fact that the US thus tries to prevent the general depreciation of the currency and an incredible crisis that can not be compared even with the beginning of the 20th century.

In addition, as, incidentally, many Americans in Russia say, America is afraid of losing world geopolitical influence on a global scale. Naturally, first of all you need to find a "scapegoat". And for some reason this "goat" should become the Russian Federation. But let's face facts.

Nothing personal - just facts and statistics

Have you ever wondered how many world celebrities, including US citizens, decided to accept Russian citizenship for their own reasons? No? Here are just a few facts.

Not to mention the fact that the first-born was the famous French actor Gerard Depardieu, then went on-went. It is worth noting two world-class fighters. It's boxer Roy Jones Jr. and Jiu-Jitsu champion Jeff Monson.

Do not forget about the musicians of world renown. For example, the vocalist and the permanent leader of the Limp Bizkit group, American Fred Durst, appealed to Vladimir Putin with a request to grant him Russian citizenship.

And how do you know a famous actor like Kerry Hiroyuki-Tagawa, who played a lot of characters in the movies, but in the last film "Priest-san" who played the role of Orthodox priest (and after the filming accepted Orthodox Christianity)? It's not from the good life they run from America? On that is, apparently, another, more valid reason.

Perhaps these new Americans in Russia will finally tell the world the truth that we are no enemies to anyone? As folk wisdom says: do not touch us and we will not touch anyone. Or a joke rooted in the population, which has become almost a parable in the country: "Whoever comes to us with a sword will come, he will get into a plow and get it."