I'm powerless to make people think not with propaganda cliches, but with my head, but I'll spend a few minutes on another Captain's speech. Evidence.

Thesis 1.

To consider the actions of people and the policy of countries in isolation from the time when this occurred, it is meaningless.

Thesis 2.

Justifying your own crimes by what someone else once did, is stupid and immoral.

Thesis 3.

There is no marker "our-not ours" when it comes to crimes and moral paradigms.

Now, in fact.

The fact that the grandfathers fought does not make a country for which they fought neither right nor good, nor legal nor fair.

My grandfather Serafim (and two of his brothers) fought in the Second World War on the side of the USSR.

My grandfather Pavel, living in dugouts (he had armor for the uniqueness of the profession), built equipment from the Nizhny Tagil Metkombinat.

My wife's grandfather - Peter - after two wounds at the front, flew to the camps for 12 years under Article 58.

Great-grandfathers on all lines were dekulakized, deprived of property, exiled with families.

On the line of my father from Siberia, my great-grandmother returned. The others disappeared there.

By the line of his wife - the same story.

Everything was earned afterwards and by blood, the labor of families from sunset to dawn, from small to large.

The USSR was an evil empire, IMHO, one of the most terrible, dangerous and aggressive countries in the world, but it does not make my grandfathers criminals or less respected and loved for me.

They lived in that country, lived according to its laws, unable to leave or overthrow the regime. Moreover, some of them did not want this. Lived as they lived - studied, gave birth, served.

I do not presume to judge their morality - this is another time, but their attitude to power was different. Some people accepted it, others did not like it.

The history of my family is my personal. I love my ancestors, but that does not mean that I approve of everything they did.

I do not approve of the occupation of Europe, the suppression of uprisings in the GDR, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, but my grandfather Serafim remained military until his death, served in the CA. My own uncle commanded a rocket regiment in Bologoye. I do not approve of the aggressive policy of the USSR, but a bright memory to my uncle Valentin, he is no longer with us.

Be proud of your grandfathers, fathers and uncles! Love your family, value their history.

But know that in Germany they remember and love Uncle Helmut, who on the Eastern Front burned a dozen tanks with your compatriots. It's their grandfather, they love him, he's good.

Always ordinary people are at war. And very often for completely criminal purposes and states.

The USSR is a criminal state, like Nazi Germany. But this does not make your grandfather a criminal if he certainly did not rape a German woman and did not shed blood marauding.

Moreover, if your grandfather is an executioner of the NKVD, then he is still your grandfather and in your veins a quarter of his blood. And I doubt that you are ready to give it up and condemn it, as it is required by law. Family morality allows for far worse deviations, and nothing - tens of thousands of families live with it. Most importantly, do not repeat. And there - your business, who you have in your family album.

But.

The participation of our ancestors in certain events, wars and political currents does not whitewash events, wars, or political currents.

Family morals do not pass here. War crime is a crime. Aggression is aggression. Annexation is annexation.

You can tell everyone that the black dog is actually white, you can even wash it. The result you know.

In general, when I hear the argument "but my grandfathers fought for it," I understand that this is akin to religion, the mind did not spend the night there.

Is it not time to start thinking.

I remember, I'm proud - a cool formula. But it's time to replace it with "I remember" and understand, but is there anything to be proud of? I'm not about personal heroism, I'm about goals and morals, if that's what.

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