What May Day used to look like, in the way-back.
This vid supposedly depicts the annual May Day parade in Moscow's Red Square, circa 1965. The film narrative, however, states the parade is on the 20th anniversary of Hitler's defeat, which occurred in April, 1945. But... the parade IS typical of May Day parades under the communists. As such, the film does take me back. I was a jeep two-striper stationed at Vandenberg AFB in 1965, keeping the radar on the air at Lompoc AFS and keeping America safe from these godless Commies.
This is the sort of imagery I grew up with as a child. Years later... around 1993 or so... I had chills run up and down my spine when I stood in Red Square for the first time. Even though I make light of the situation in the preceding paragraph, these parades are the sorts of thing one never forgets.
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Call me sentimental, but I rather miss the Red Menance. They kept many of these problem nations firmly planted under their jackboots. The world was a simpler place, and things were more black and white.
ReplyDeleteI fond memories of serving on submarines during the Cold War. The mission was clear, and the B.S. kept to a minimum.
Afterwards...well, there is a reason I retired at the earliest opportunity.
You make a very valid point, Buckskins, and you're NOT alone. At least the Reds were rational and wouldn't do anything as stupid as attack us directly. I've read a TON of stuff from old Cold Warriors... from highly-placed politicos down to us grunts... saying exactly what you just said. There's truth in there.
ReplyDeleteCould you mayube keep us safe from the godless commies we just elected?
ReplyDeleteYup - chills. And yet, I agree with Buckskins in many ways. It was scary, but the threat seemed more ephemeral during the Cold War than it is today.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure those parades were quite impressive in their day - back when the good guys wore white hats and the bad guys wore black hats.
ReplyDeleteMoogie: I'm afraid protecting you from The One is above my pay grade. But I'll continue to do what lil bit I can... :D
ReplyDeleteKris: The threat was much less than ephemeral to anyone who ever drove past the missile fields in North Dakota (and elsewhere). I always used to think "What if..." when driving by the missile sites on my way down to Minot in the way-back. And there were other things, too, like dressing out in full chem-gear for exercises and the like. I suppose it all depended on where you were.
Lou: Those parades were much more about scary and less about impressive... but they most certainly WERE impressive. Assuming that isn't self-contradicting, of course. :D