Why is the Russian army so brutal? | Military historian Antony Beevor
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- Опубліковано 22 тра 2024
- There seems no doubt that atrocities and war crimes have been committed on a massive scale by Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Why is the Russian army so brutal? We are joined by one of Britain's foremost historians Anthony Beevor whose new book is “Russia: Revolution and Civil War 1917-1921”
I find it disturbing and chilling that Russians can continue to hold Lenin and Stalin in such high esteem given their murderous careers. Does Putin have ambitions to be similarly idolized?
Even more so.
He wants to be remembered as one of the great leader like the tzar of Russia when he's gone but this could be he downfall of his own making
Russians for the most part crave a cruel and ruthless dictator to bow beneath
Chinese love Mao
Yes! And even more - he has just compared himself to Peter the Great
I’ll be happy to never hear the word Russia ever again
Soon, if this war leads to their collapse I hope they break up into several smaller countries
Then stop looking at videos like this! (Just joking - but we can't help it can we?)
THIS!
@@smartguy360 Thx, guys. Always helpful to remind my compatriots why we need actually destroy Europe this time. We really tired to repel you from our borders once in every century. Time to end this circus.
I think through history Russians were not happy (freezing temps ect). In the last 20 years they let western ideas in there country and made life better (McDonald's, ect) now it is back to square one and they just go backwards. Sad!
Russia military strategy for the last 200 years seems to be to use their soldiers as cannon fodder until the enemy finally runs out of ammo..
Pretty much. The Russian army used to apply the 'two soldiers per rifle' strategy. "When the guy with the rifle dies, the second - until then unarmed guy - pick up the gun and continue the charge"
Imagine running toward German machine gun fire with only your two fists as weapons..
Ukraine has an unlimited supply of weapons now so this strategy just won't work!!
I'm a Brit living in Austria I have been here for twenty years. When I first arrived here there was an old guy who served in the German army and fought on the eastern front. And I remember him telling me once that the russians just threw their soldiers as cannon fodder at you until you ran out of ammunition and had to retreat.
Except the Russians are running out of peasants. You can't keep throwing people away, expecting the well is bottomless. People in 50 years time, will be wondering who the Russians were.
This is partly a myth induced, I believe by the post war West Germans trying to explain their failures on the Eastern Front. In actuality, sometimes the Germans outnumbered the Russians in battle, and they sometimes chose to fight when the weather was at its worst (another partial myth).
This man is full of history. And there are many deep thoughts here. Stalin was never deposed; the only reason his terror ended was because, despite all his brutality, he still inhabited a human body that was mortal. And, the thought that he never had the proper condemnation and reckoning for the countless atrocities he committed on his own country have never allowed Russia to heal and join the 21st century with the rest of the West.
On the last comments of millions of Soviet deaths in WW2: my understanding is that a disproportionate number of those deaths were Ukrainians, in part because that’s where a lot of the big battles happened, which makes invoking the sacrifices of WW2 to aid in a fight against Ukraine all the more ironic.
Country
Tot. Deaths Military Deaths Civ. Deaths via Military Civ. Deaths via Famine/Disease
Russia 13,950,000 6,750,000 4,100,000 3,100,000
Ukraine 6,850,000 1,650,000 3,700,000 1,500,000
Very good point.
True, Ukraine and Belarus bore the brunt of the German offensive.
Большинством в советской армии были русские , более 60%
@@leonieromanes7265 Western Ukrainians joined the invading Germans and that's the Na zi sympathizers in power in Ukraine today. Eastern Ukrainians fought in the Soviet Army and that's the people Russia is defending today.
This cruelty on the part of the Russians is only possible because they were never held responsible for the genocides in the wars they fought.
The US, ring the bell?
Still, with no Stalin we would all be praising Mr. Moustache here in Europe
Importantly the Russians and Stalin were never held accountable for the Katyn Forest Murders of 5,000 Polish officers. In addition to the 5,000 Katyn Forest murders, there were another 10,000 other Polish officers who were captured at the same time by the Red Army who were never accounted for.
@@martincicchino1228 still, 80-90% of german sodiers were casualties on the eastern front.. dont think the UK had stood a chance. And US would prob make peace and go for japan cuz there would never be a D-day. Atleast not in -44
True story
If we were to erase russia from the face of the world the russianproblem would be solved
why would anyone fight for Russia. Your own leadership is more risk to you than the enemy
It's called brainwashing, just watch their only propaganda news network or better yet look at what the North Korean people put up with and still worship their leaders as God.
Stupidity, ignorance…?
Force.
Poverty. It's just about the only way for someone not living in European Russia to make a good living.
@@Perkelenaattori Poverty better than slavery
The Katyń Massacre is just one example of the Soviet Unions brutality. And things haven't changed in Russia all.
"Katyn Forest where the Soviets, cold-bloodedly, slaughtered the Cream of the Polish Military!
I've just said much the same.
@Grant Birżebbuġa Sfax 22,000 Polish officers murdered in cold blood!
"Katya" 😆
@@madeleine7 The victims included Captain Franciszek Mscichowski from my grandfather's extended family.
I am delighted as a historian that he is still active despite aging, Beevor has written amazing histories on the big battles of World War 2, I especially recommend his book on Stalingrad.
It's a great book and thoroughly researched, however I found it so grim reading I put it down.
"Stalingrad" is good but I suspect tides have changed.
That book is my favorite read on Stalingrad but ya . . . it's grim.
@@ageoftreason grim ? what do you mean
I mean the stories of the way people died including being executed for cowardice, it just seemed to go on and on. I am a historian and have read widely about the two world wars and the Vietnamese wars but this just ground me down. This is no criticism of the author, I should imagine he felt depressed doing his research.
A British officer said many years ago ‘…the Russian learns to bear suffering with stoicism,and therefore to inflict cruelty with indifference…’
don't forget a deep tradition of serfdom and then the savage climates. Life in Russia has never been sweet ... it s been brutal for millennia.
There is a reason they call them Orcs. It captures the essence of the Russian soul.
It captures the heart of Russian colonialist expansion. There a still some good people in Russia.
@@leonieromanes7265 The young people in Russia are mostly great and seem determined to break the cycle.
Let's... not do that. Let's recognize that the cruelty lies in the culture of the Russian military and uncaring elite, but let's not dehumanize the Russian 'soul', or its people, in general.
@@IsntTheInternetGreat To be fair: we all have an Orcish side to us but let's not kid ourselves: the Russians are a lot more in touch with their inner Orc than some other, more civilized peoples.
@Chris Viking most of the educated Russians who can leave have left. The demographics of who is left in Russia are worrying. I believe there are still some good Russians left in that country. I think there is a resistance to the current leadership. The big problem for Russia will be what happens when disaffected soldiers come back home from the front.
this is why:
“In Russia, whatever be the appearance of things, violence and arbitrary rule is at the bottom of them all. Tyranny rendered calm by the influence of terror is the only kind of happiness which this government is able to afford its people.”-- Marquis de Custine, 1839.
"Life was balanced between piety and profanity, obedience and hideous cruelty, music and violence. They had never seen the Renaissance or the Reformation, and were brutalized by a climate of harsh arctic winds that swept unimpeded across their plains." -Will Durant on 1700s Russia (a quote which still holds true today)
Such apt quotes! Thank you.
Exactly. They're a mafia protection scam on a national scale.
@Grant Birżebbuġa Sfax well, he would know, being the most disgraceful bootlicker of those despots
what a mountain of racist BS! What is? Lombroso essay?
Today's Russian armed forces are good at two things:
- Parading
- Killing civilians
Getting ships sunk and tanks blown up. As others here have stated canon fodder.
You forgot theft. Great at stealing, but really lousy at not getting caught..
Please give Ukraine weapons to defend the south. If Russia gets the entire coast line then prices of wheat and grain will be terrible for years. Other than the fact Ukraine gave up it's nukes and they haven't done anything to provoke such a war from Russia who looks to expand to the old Soviet Union borders.
Not just defend but too destroy all Russian forces.
SLAVA 🇺🇦💙💛🙏
Why are you asking a newspaper? They can't help you .Ukraine never had nukes they were russian owned
@@Roland_Tr909_Swing "Russia didn't exist" when those nukes were given to Moscow for the promises of peace.
My father had no time for the russians. Why? During the war he joined The Royal Navy serving on destroyers. He was on the Atlantic and Russian Convoys. When on the Russian Convoys having faced U Boat attacks, Luftwaffe attacks and Battleship attacks plus possibly the worst adversarie the weather. When after all that and they reached Russia they where NOT allowed to go ashore because some sailors who had where found dead and stripped of their clothes and their fingers where cut off to have their rings taken. Obviously thing have not changed.....
My father spent 2 years in a Russian labour camp simply for crossing from German to Russian occupied Poland. He saw many people die there and on the march there. Many years later, when he married, my mother told me that he used to sometimes wake up screaming.
I am surprised that they did it to British soldiers too , who were their allies in the war....
@@DavidGetling My father served in the Wehrmacht during WW2. They treated Russian POWs correctly, but it got worse for them once the SS got hold of them.
I'm tempted to think that the verdict of the Nuremberg Tribunal on German treatment of Russian POWs should be reconsidered.
@Grant Birżebbuġa Sfax When the German Army took Russians prisoner, the POWs had a better chance of surviving than they had once they fell into the hands of the SS.
The problem was that it was the SS who took charge of them eventually.
@@MichaelPetek They also had a better chance of survival being POW's than escaping and returning to Russia ... Stalin thought they were all German agents, or did not want people who had mixed with non-Russians poluting his propaganda. What has really changed ?
Excellent interview with historian Sir Antony Beevor. Sir Antony writes so well you can't put his books down until you're finished with them and then you want to start all over again because they are so jam-packed with valuable information and rivetting in his unique style of writing. At 6:51 into the vocast, Sir Antony says he does not see Ukraine agreeing to give Russia any concessions i.e. land for stopping the war and he does not see Putin giving in one centimeter to withdrawing his forces from the Ukrainian territory. As an armchair strategist I am an artist living 2,000 kilometers fom Kiev. It feels like the war is getting closer by the day. Putin, in my humble opinion, will only concede on the battlefield. He must be soundly beaten to the point where his troops have only one recourse: return home. The question will then become what would Putin do if he had to leave Ukraine behind? That's the question all of us sort of know the answer to: world war.
Agreed, other than your last sentence.
putin may try to escalate before he is obliged to withdraw, I'm not sure that the russian elite would allow that to happen, otherwise that's when NATO/UN would have to step in.
Or regime change. It is entirely possible that Putin will be replaced, a ceasefire and a peaceful return to barracks with possibly non NATO or Russian peace keepers to avoid any retribution. But totally agree that this disaster won't be resolved until Russia relinquish all claims to any Ukrainian territory - including Crimea.
You are correct but please also read Diche Bach's comments above.
You don't know much about russian mentality. Endurance and throwing limitless amount of armour end men into war is their main war strategy.
The problem for both sides at this moment is, that this war is being radicalised and both sides have unrealistic expectations.
That surely is true for Ukraina, which anounce liberating their whole territory, and for Russia also. We actually don't know Putin's exact goals in this war,
except they keep repeting that Ukraine will no longer exist in a couple of years.
Which is actually worse than Hitler's anexation of Czechoslovakia in which Czechoslovakia was not denied right of its existance,
but Russia denies Ukrain state and nationality, which is far worse to accept from a western point of view.
I am afraid, that I agree with Macron. At the end of the day, both sides will have to negotiate.
@@knenda1 GGGGGGGGreat to hear from you. I don't think we can look more than 24 hours ahead in this war. There is going to be an event that happens that makes it into a global conflict. We must all prepare for it.
I think your work in this terrible war is one of the finest examples of excellent journalism, it stands in the finest tradition of British journalism. Thank you.
After reading 'Stalingrad' by Anthony Beevor the current Russian behavior came as no surprise. An _excellent_ book, nothing less.
E
More recently, they did the same in Chechnya. I recently read some of the Chechen interviews. Absolutely horrific. One young girl was the only survivor of her family when the Russians told them they could leave in a convoy and then bombed it.
Yep, though arguably the 'precedent' for such behavior was already set in the mid-1930's, with Stalin trying to _starve_ Ukraine into submission, resulting in the deaths of nearly 4 _million_ Ukrainians... from hunger.
Agreed. Stalingrad by Beevor is an excellent work. I devoured it in two days, reading nonstop.
highly recommend "blood lands" by timonthy snyder to anyone that liked "stalinegrad".
Russian society as a whole is exceptionally brutal. Slavery was all but legal until the mid 1800s. The country never went through the multi-century process of worker emancipation that most of Europe went through since the 1400s. The soviet union tried to compress that progress into decades but failed. Ever since, the country has remained in a kind of limbo state where the process itself is eyed with cynicism.
@Kras Maz. As you know the Serfdom was abolished in ...1863 by the Czar Alexander II.
In France it was during the middle age: in 1315! I guest it was similar for other western european realms.
.Among others, the French Writer Marquis de Custines wrote a définitive book " Lettres de Russie" ( 1839) about the inherent Savagery, brutality combined with apathy and irationality of Russia. Russian are pretending to be Europeans but they are not and will never be.
Unfortunately the Soviet Union tried to compress that progress into decades and failed to do so" because they had No understanding except from an "orc" viewpoint. You cannot progress your civil society by virtually indiscriminate torture, killings (of millions of people), mass deportations gulags and theft even if you are dead keen on being scientific about it. The Soviet Union traumatised an already deeply oppressed people.. The result is the Zombie society you see now.And the psychopaths that run it.
@@pierrekiroule2827 1861 to be precise. This is about the same period when other countries abolished slavery: USA in 1865, Britain in 1843, Brazil in 1888, Netherlands in 1863
Slavery never existed in Russia. If you are talking about serfdom, then keep in mind it existed everywhere in eastern Europe (up to Germany and Scandinavia) until around the same time. Russian serfdom was the most limited and humane in the entire region.
And the reality is slavery existed in the USSR under the gulags, with the only "masters" being the state itself.
Professor Beevor twice says that "there is no national character," and that is fine. However, we anthropologists have a word for this "self-image" and socially-normalized pattern of behavior he refers to which exhibits consistent though not universal pattern within national groups. We call it culture.
Nothing like a critique or detraction of the gentleman's scholarship, I have no doubt it is excellent. But it is interesting to observe how the lack of awareness of a single concept from a sister discipline can make conceptual models as well as hypothesis testing and empirical generalizations more challenging.
There is a culture of brutality that exists within the larger Russian culture. That culture of brutality is particular notable among the ruling classes, but as the Professor notes, this has influences throughout the entire society. These are not surprising results of Russia's long history.
Russia is an Empire in the true imperialist sense of the word. For most of the past~550 years Russia's history is one of violent military conquest and/or political take-over of neighboring polities. Russia is also a society which has no real democratic traditions, and instead long traditions of autocratic rule and brutal repression of popular dissent. All of the border lands like Ukraine (and much of Finnmark early on) were conquered and held by force, not voluntarily, as demonstrated by how quickly they all broke away from the Soviet Union when it became clear there was no longer the will, or ability to force these subject states to remain subordinate.
Without starting each and every discussion of Russia its history and its present with these vital details, one runs the risk of failing to comprehend why Russia has had so many troubles during the past 150 or so years. The culture of Russian rulers is a relict of the past, unsavory to the neighboring people's they seek to control, and under most conditions, unfavorable to most of the peoples of the Russian Empire. While the rest of Europe's ethno-linguistic nation-states have taken major strides toward erasing the centuries old ethnic and national boundaries which have resulted in conflict so many times, Russia under Putin has reaffirmed these supremacist, irredentist and imperialist ethnic-nationalist values and heartily confirmed them as the core of their society.
Of course not all Russia's are complicit with this antiquated and unsavory worldview; but the rulers insure that anyone who dissents openly does so at great risk to themselves. This is why a typical Russian autocrat like Putin regards NATO as "hostile," because the idea of Putin allowing his regime and his society to become friendly with NATO and the EU is anathema. NATO represents an ideological and cultural threat to the retention of power by thugs like Putin and this is why Putin claims to perceive an inherent threat from the West.
Sure there can be a national character- that's the learned behaviour of a group, not anything inherent. You can't say Russians, because they're caucasian, behave this way, but if it's a choice, passed down through generations by example or teaching, absolutely you can.
Very well put! Thank you!
And they're not all even caucasian. Russia is a multi-ethnic country, actually it's about as diverse as the USA. A lot of their soldiers are not even ethnically Russian. But that's because Russia took over so much land from the 17th century onwards. How did Russia get so big otherwise?
Triggered.
Thank you!
I read Zhukov (USSR WWII General) for a European History class. One thing that really struck me was when he talked about lining up soldiers and having them march through a mine field in order to protect the tanks. No time to bring in mine clearers. Its that mindset that people are expendable in order to achieve the goals of the motherland.
That’s the mindset of Ideologies !
Thank you for this information.
My brother did to and told me the same thing and the brasses mindset which is incomprehensible to western staff officers
The bit missed from that is, the minefields are covered by MG34, MG42 one at least possibly 2...how many men would be lost to machine gun fire manually probing gir mines with bayonets? The mine detectors you see were American and in very short supply. Its all part of that calculus of battle, nothing.imhuman about it, if you worry about every single stormtroopers youd be a great Sergeant, but a terrible General.
@@jamesgornall5731 mine detectors wre invented by polish gentelman. Soviet soldiers did nito probe ground with bayonets, they ran acriss th minefield expliding mines by sacruficing their lives. One survivor said:for zhukov we did it gladly. One thing professor misses:russian mindset is: "nas mnoga" meaning there are msny of us. Respect fir an individual is absent
vikings bred with golden horde do not a gentle nation make.
Very helpful and informative. Great thanks. Slava Ukraini!
"… but of course national characters don't exist."
Oh yes they DO exist. It's called national culture. Russian culture is savage, backwards and degenerate in many instances as has been amply demonstrated by the behaviour of a large number of Russians during this war. Not all Russians as it is NOT a race-based thing at all. However it is a preponderance of Russians who think and act this way. This is unfortunately a fact and must be acknowledged as such before proper policy for dealing with Russia can be made.
Yes, but its not genetic.
@@Ozymandi_as certainly. It's entirely nurture rather than nature.
@@Ozymandi_as How do you know it's not genetic, as being subhuman?
Oh yes. Genocide of ethnic minorities, allowing free access of civilians to military attack weapons, killing children in their schools, massacres of civilians during wars, terrible climate including freezing winters, floods and cyclones. Oh hang on... wrong country.
Your comment perfectly captures how you westerners percieve us. Sad that my country lost so much time trying to be friends with your countries.
Hopefully more people will refuse to go to their deaths so the leaders and billionaires can live in disgusting luxury and privilege
The brutality is a reflection of leadership. Even Russian conscripts are routinely treated extremely badly by western standards. Poor training of officers is what it boils down to.
Russian conscripts are bullied, sometimes even killed by their officers. Many commit suicide because of the harsh treatment.
I once read a book titled "Man is a wolf to Man" An account of the brutalities carried out on the Russian population by J Stalin. The book left an indelible mark on my psyche...that people could be so indescribably brutal on others. This inhumanity is baked into the Russian mindset. Witness any town after Russian occupation...any of them, yea ALL of them. This is why Russia must not be allowed to win anything...if we value anything close to humanity.
Granted I do not know much about Russian history. I am married to a Russian and she does from their standpoint. We were talking the other day about what would stop this madness. She pointed out that when Napoleon surrounded Moscow, Russians burnt it to a crisp instead of giving it up. They will do anything not to lose.
Russians are the inheritors of the Mongol empire. For me, that pretty much explains it.
That's not even remotely true.
@@vapeymcvape5000 Not the inheritors BUT:
"As the evidence stands, the effects of the Mongol invasion were many, spread across the political, social, and religious facets of Russia. While some of those effects, such as the growth of the Orthodox Church generally had a relatively positive effect on the lands of the Rus, other results, such as the loss of the veche system and centralization of power assisted in halting the spread of traditional democracy and self-government for the various principalities. From the influences on the language and the form of government, the very impacts of the Mongol invasion are still evident today. Perhaps given the chance to experience the Renaissance, as did other western European cultures, the political, religious, and social thought of Russia would greatly differ from that of the reality of today. The Russians, through the control of the Mongols who had adopted many ideas of government and economics from the Chinese, became perhaps a more Asiatic nation in terms of government, while the deep Christian roots of the Russians established and helped maintain a link with Europe. It was the Mongol invasion which, perhaps more than any other historical event, helped to determine the course of development that Russian culture, political geography, history, and national identity would take." (Source: geohistory.today/mongol-empire-effects-russia/)
@@vapeymcvape5000 that is true. there were russian principalities including moscow that were vassals of mongols. they accepted "culture" of their mongol masters.
@@Caesar88888 Yes, if you look at a map on the Principality of Muscovy prior to the reign of Ivan the Terrible, it was a vassal state of the Mongols. It is thought that a drying trend in the climate of the steppe, reducing available pasture for the Mongol herds of horses, and also internal divisions caused a breakdown of Mongol control of the vast area from Mongolia westward. The Mongols essentially 'went home'. Ivan took the opportunity to expand Moscovy, advancing into territories now largely empty. That mind-set has never ended. The Rus, now Russian, simply took all of that formerly-Mongol territory. Russia took Siberia under subsequent Tsars, took the Black Sea area from the Crimean Khanate, the Tartars. Russia takes the attitude, we stole it fair and square, it will always be ours. Hence, today's war. The map of Russia looks suspiciously like the map of the Mongol empire, eh? The relationship with 'vassal states' like Belarus, Georgia, Uzbekistan is much like the Mongol relationship with vassals - essentially, do what we say or we will destroy your cities and your people. That sure looks like the game plan in Ukraine. The barbarians are at the gate again. If the barbarian is called Ghenghis Khan, or Ivan, it makes little difference. It is still about subjugation and control of the territory of other people.
@@davidallison5529 I will tell you more marriage with mongols was common among moscowy nobles so modern russians have mongol dna.
Has Russia ever been ruled by a leader that actually cared about Russian citizens? What is also puzzling is how can a country still admire a person Like Stalin whose statues still appear throughout the country? Is this how Putin wants to be remembered? What kind of nation would Russia be if they actually had a leader that did just that, leading the nation into a prosperous and proud country. Instead, it has a leader that is beginning to look much like that of North Korea.
Russia is worse than North Korea. Just ask the Ukrainians.
Never do business with Russians.
Freedom is absolutely a foreign concept to them. It seems to scare them, thinking for yourself.
Few Russian rulers indeed have used enlightened egoism. They are minority who got deposed or promptly canceled once they died.
"Any Revolution in Russia will produce nothing of moral consequence. One soulless autocracy will be replaced by another." - Joseph Conrad in 1905!
They're savage with each other too. Bullying is rife in the Russian Armed Forces.
Stems from the Mongol invasion. But now your the biggest bully on the school yard but your always losing. Losing economically, losing technologically, losing governmentally, so you find someone to pick on so people will take you seriously, and your brutal to send a message to the other kids "STOP LAUGHING AT ME!!!"
Perhaps, but how many centuries ago was the mongol invasion? Other countries have been brutalised by invasion. Yet they still attempt to progress into a better future. I think endemic corruption is the Achilles heel of Russia.
There's a great movie called Black Robe that shows why primitive tribes are brutal in war and it is all about fear to show mercy to enemies because of the belief that this could be seen as weakness that made one's tribe more vulnerable to subsequent attacks. Therefore, so as not to risk it, ruthlessness and cruelty was the norm. Russia today under Putin has not evolved out of their barbaric history and so their brutality can be more easily understood and accepted. In other words, only brute force returned upon their heads has any chance of stopping them.
I watched Black Robe many years ago. You are right, great movie. It made you feel like you were there!
The Ukrainian policy of treating POWs relatively well makes surrender more appealing to russian troops (the 1 exception to the rule ?).
Great film. Largely forgotten, but with a lot to say about the human condition.
Great film
native American crimes were nothing close to these Russian orcs in terms of cruelty
It goes back to Mongolian occupation of Russia, which lasted over 240 years and brought into Russian society the way of treating prisoners, torture, own troops, by leaders and commanders.
The Mongolian occupation changed the basic culture of Russia by infecting with wanton cruelty . It even changed the Russian language. There are Mongol-
Tartar words that do not exist in other Slavic languages. Words like " sobaka" (dog), loshad (horse) that do not have Slavic roots.
Why do you keep showing a journalist who contributes nothing to the debate, except munching his pencil ? It only distracts from the interesting arguments of Mr Beevor.
Actually it's a pen. You can see the chrome metal end (or chromed plastic) where the tip comes out. They could have left him out and ended it a few seconds earlier. Makes me wonder if he even knew he was going to be shown before that bit at the end.
@Sinbad This bizarre editing choice has baffled and distracted me for months now.
It's an automated camera system before 9am. We are always trying to improve and build the team.
Yeah
Somebody has to gnaw it. Leave it to Beevor!
It's really disappointing that over-all there's been no mention of Soviet brutality in WWII, despite it being orders of magnitude worse than what they're doing in Ukraine. The current crimes are, quite correctly, considered abhorrent, but it's quite wrong to not acknowledge that they've done this before. But then it's not appropriate to admit that an ally was evil, and an enemy suffered unforgivable atrocities...
Russia starved 10 milion iranians during ww1, starved 10 milion ukranians to prepare for ww2... who knows the next victim? thats why people dislike them
great history piece on Russia. I knew some of it but to have it layed out it this way was absolutely fascinating
The Great Patrotic war: They attacked first in 1939 like the Germans: East Poland, Baltics, Finland. They were not a peacefully country to claim a betrayal for the Barbarossa operation 1941. Evil vs evil.
No they didn't! East Poland become West Ukraine! Not Russia! Ukraine!
@@peace-now Become the USSR, that is, a territory ruled by Moscow, capital of Russia
@@cristobalmanuelmoreno.llan2215 It is Western Ukraine now.
Anthony Beevor is not just a fantastic author, but clearly a very intelligent and articulate man. Great interview.
Also, the presenter's point about "if you don't understand Russia's relationship with ww2, you don't understand Russia today" is really perceptive.
Thank you for this testimony of Russian cruelty and of a kind of different "civilisation" they created.
People from the West, sadly may find it unbelieveable, but people from Central and Eastern Europe - we experienced it on our skin.
I grew up having this knowledge and impression of the USSR/Russian State. Truly many people have to experience "on their skin" because they lack knowledge imagination and empathy. Otherwise they make excuses. I am glad that Central and Eastern Europe are done with the beast from the east.
Thanks. New insights from the team again.
Honestly it probably goes back to the Mongols wiping out the Kievan Rus, ironically.
Ah, called it.
Ofc it's also a side effect of terrible morale - poor behavior by armed forces has always gone hand in hand with that.
Funny thing is that today the Real Kievan Rus is fighting against the Mongol Horde from Moscow.
@@alejandrosotomartin9720 Exactly !
Great inteview, I have several of Antony Beevor's books.
I just bought another book on the Russian civil war, I would have bought Antony's If I'd know it was comign out.
In 1945 Britain gave the Order of the Bath to marshal Rokassovski who published a message to his troops "the women of Germany are yours ", Didn't see him at a war crimes trial !!
the terror roots in its incapacity - terror is a way to try to submit the enemy, when there isn't much more to impose your will. Add failure, envy, hate and you get the insane violence.
Great Interview. Anthony Beevor is an incredible Historian and very much worth listening to.
Oh how I love the books of Mr A. Beevor.
Life has no value in russia, it never has.
Great show. Thanks
It's hugely interesting to hear Professor Beevor's expertise on this subject. I don't quite get why we're treated to lingering shots of a bloke eating a pencil, though.
Thankyou Anthony 🙏👍🥰
Plus the low education level of depressed regions where most soldiers are coming from without any education in humanities.
National character doesn't exist?
In Russia might is right, tyranny is normal; it has had a brutal governance for centuries.
So maybe not a 'national character', but a cultural acceptance that brutality is normal/acceptable. Citizens put up with brutality from their government, & cheerfully dispense it to the 'enemy', national or neighborhood.
Most inadvertently hilarious recent description of atrocity;
Beevor; the violence was horrific, truly beyond compare
Beard Guy; damn my pen is delicious today
Yeah, it's weird how the camera keeps focusing on him. But it is not his fault - radio has become TV. Why even call it radio?
Beard Guy needs a six-pack of beer.
The Serbs were worse for treating POW`s, for example, mass shootings of hospital patients & staff from Vukovar hospital in 1991 & genocide at Srebrenica in 1995.
Let’s not forget that the Serbs were educated and guided by the the Russians and their doctrine. Hence the unwavering support Serbia offers to Russia nowadays. The Serbs still refuse to admit the atrocities and war crimes they clearly committed despite Den Haag tribunal ruling. Much like Russians they too believe to be a holy nation. Both nations delusional and brutal in equal measure.
His books are excellent!
Preview comment.....I would liken this to a person that has been horribly abused over and over and over. They normalize this abuse, believe that's how its suppose to be. Then when they get the chance to abuse someone they do it without a qualm. Russia is a country trapped by its history and will only change when its people finally decide that change is needed....while not getting shot of course.
Humans are the same everywhere, this is not unique to Russian soldiers. It has to do with being underpaid, poorly disciplined and demoralized, thus, the mentality of plundering and "winner takes all" is an attractive alternative reward.
Russias armies should get removed from Geneva Convention. They already never went along with it.
So the West should become Equally brutal? Yeah, that's the ticket!
@@stevewhite3424 Go and try to appease the crocodile. Coarse wedges for coarse timber.
@@gluteusmaximus1657 So you believe that not lowering ourselves to their level of inhumanity is appeasement. Seems like you'd fit right in with the Russian army.
@@stevewhite3424 Mister White, you may turn the other cheek as often as you like. I don't.
SPOT ON.... 10 STAR INTERVIEW!
The Russians were also brutal in the Balkans in the 1870s.
Could you not have repeat sections at the start of videos? It's a less than 8 minute video, I really don't need repetition. I know it's supposed to be a hook, but lets not pander to people who's attention span is less than a few minutes please.
Thanks
I used to think Russia had a rich culture. No I just see them as barbarians.
Because a propaganda channel told you to? Hahahahahahahaha
The new book looks interesting. 👍
Nothing is more true than this: all cultures are not created equal. If this was the case there would be a lengthy history of russian pacifists, humanitarians & leaders who had a clear & enlightened vision for the advancement of humanity, none of the aforementioned being applicable to russia.
I have had enough of russians & russia to last me 10 lifetimes.
What does the world need, with a russia in it? I can't think of any worthwhile reason.
The problem with viewing the mongols as the problem is that Ukraine was also conquered by them and for the same length of time as Russia was.
perhaps Ukrainians eventually were able to treat this problem in another way, as this war shows
Look, brits after centuries of wars and colonizations preach to others about the brutalities of war.
It may look hypocritical to you but , for British people who are writing these comments here -they are heartfelt. We thought we were entering a better time for humanity, and now we know ,same old same old psychopaths ,narcissists robbers and thieves in charge But the Russian government is deluded and savage (to its own people also) We cant change the past, the delusions of our ancestors. But look at what Russia is doing today ,now and now. There are Russians, who must be very brave, voicing their horror of this Genocide of a nation ,I live in Britain and i am beyond sad at what is happening. There are no words .Im not preaching,just devastated by the cruelty.
Wow...the epitome of hypocricy right here.
My speculation to the cause of the brutality, would be more related to how the enlightenment and reformation (broadly humanistic movement) failed to spread East for all sorts of various histpric reasons. Russia was essentially left out of the shift towards individuals and human rights in their politics. Just a guess, and probably a much longer conversation than this short interview could cover.
I also think you are on to something. Russia does not recognize human individual rights.
Very good point.
They have had centuries to avail themselves of humanistic values. They know of the topic, just fail to see its value in their Culture of Cruelty and Subjugation.
May Andrey Sheptytsky, Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky and all Ukrainian saints, First Testament Prophets, Jewish holy men and women, St Michael, Raphael and Gabriel and all the angels, intercede with the Almighty for the removal of Putin and his minions from power. May Ukraine be freed of Russian oppression. May Our Lady of Zarvanytsia (Ukraine's Lourdes) help with this.
May Blessed Michael McGivney help with Putin's removal from power.
With all respect for your religion, I'd rather see NATO intercede and kick the Orcs out.
@@mike03a3 If the saints are ready to step in I’d give them their head frankly
As my Lithuanian neighbour tells me, the Russians only know how to do 2 things……..drink and fight.
Who are the hosts of this session.? It would be helpful to know who the interviewers are.
Well said sir bravo
Let's pretend Britain and America didn't commit war crimes during WW2. London now has 15,000 knife crimes per year.
I love the way the co-presenter lunches on his pencil and the camera keeps switching back to him hoping, anticipating a probing intelligent question, alas it did not happen.
Just like to say that I thought the lady interviewer was excellent.
@@PaulGordonBusby I want to marry her.
I don't think Stig, aka pencil eating beard guy, needed to interject.
Beevor is an exceptional historian. It is always fascinating to listen to his talks. I only wish i wasn't distracted by that 'dude' eating his pencil the entire interview!
They all seem so nice- when they don't have a gun.
No mention of the Holodomor, which puts things into context.
Russia can defend itself with weather and geography, but it cannot attack other nations with much success.
This man's books are well worth reading.
Violence in war is relative we should always be balanced against violence done by other countries in war... Also UK didnt allow UN investigation of war crimes why...I mean nukes are pretty violent.
"Might makes right" is the philosophy of Russian government which they have held to since Stalin.
Actually Russians have held that view at least as far back as Ivan the Terrible
Excellent man, Mr Beevor.
Vladd the impaler was and is their highest aspiation
You do realize that Vlad the Impaler wasn't russian, right?
The camera kept panning to the man chewing on a pencil.
It is a rich man's war and a poor man's fight
I just hope the west keeps supplying weapons to the Ukrainains to defend and re-take their land.
Russians need to learn about history and realise that in today's world no one wants to invade them.
But maybe China and Japan want some territory back!
Specialists and advanced practitioners have perfected a surgery specifically to address the issue of excessive brutality in Russian war crimes, torture, rapes, executions, and other circumstances. This requires extensive special training in optimum exercise and implementation. And the sole implement used and required for the special procedure is a butcher's knife.
The "casual savagery" of Russian military is one of the 1st things that got my anger. A Ukrainian friend told me the general Russian population has a "strongman mentality" where they fear yet blindly respect men like Putin - they're used to being terrorized themselves.
What is road of bones
As if the invading Germans were gentle?!?
Why are mobs more brutal than others... to gain power and territory over the other mobs.
Why does the director insist on cutting to the guy chewing on the pencil eraser?
Don't worry about your career, you've got our attention.
Has anyone read Trotsky, Lenin, and Stalin by Dmitri Volkogonov?
why does the camera keep cutting to some random guy playing on his phone? very off putting
I agree with the last comment: this is a tragedy for Russians and for Ukrainians alike.
For Ukrainians, it is an immediate tragedy but they stand of firm ground, the acceptation of democratic rule and humanitarian rules as well as the inclusion in the European tradition and institutions.
However, the tragedy for Russia is of far-reaching scope, not only in terms of human life lost and the pain in the families all across the country, but also it could lead to a totally new Russia, far away from the European tradition that Peter the Great and Katherine the Great tried to follow.
For Russia in the long term, and beyond the elite in power now, because all powerful people go away with History at some point or another, a new uncertain path opens, and not exactly a rosy one.
Just take into account the thousands of young men that are dying or being crippled in the war, in a huge country that already has a demographic problem and high mortality rates in Russian men due to alcohol abuse, this loss of life reinforces a disastrous demographic trend for the country, if not separatism of Asian provinces. In terms of technology dependence, well, I won't comment. In terms of international image, it has been a disastrous decision, even if some countries try to exploit the situation for cheap energy.
I would even go and say, that this war might signal the end of Russia as it is today and its fragmentation, but not because of the opponents in Europe, because of the far-reaching consequences for the country elsewhere and away from Europe and in Russia itself.
On the other side, I knew from the beginning that this invasion was doomed to disaster. Just look at History since the Age of Bronce and see how quick military invasions of this type have again and again been disastrous for invaders because they are not supported by population occupation. Just look at the Nazis and how they could not occupy the whole of France, in the height of their power. Or the Nazis invading just the European side of Russia.
The problem for Russia as one nation of people, culture, language and destiny now is that its actual elite has no other option than to fight to the very end this war because its own political and possibly physical survival depends on any kind of success to sell to is suffering population to justify their use of power. Because the past wars of suffering in the XXth century, the elites will try to repeat the same pattern here, inflicting as much pain as necessary on the population, mixing and associating their political survival with the destiny of the whole country and culture. This is why I see a lot of pain in the coming months and years to come on both sides. All this unless the Chinese start to realize, that a protracted war is not any longer in their interest. After all, the Chinese are exploiting the Russians for their own long-term goals, of which, the first one is to create the conditions for an invasion of Taiwan, weakening the West and America in another war, and the second one, to win the upper-hand with the Russians themselves, possibly for energy and territorial gains in the East. This is why, when you see Chinese ambassadors in Russia, there are no smiles there, its all about their business and about dealing with a new...well, this is the reality, a new vassal-state. However, they have to treat carefully because it is a vassal-state with nuclear weapons. It is all so sad for the Ukrainians but also for Russians and the rest of the world.
I can't help wondering if nations direly in need of the Ukraine grain harvest might be able to sue Russia for blockading its shipment??