Rick Stringer (Letters, February 17) makes an important point about a lost opportunity to develop better relationships with Russia.
Most people’s sense of Russia is built on negative pictures. For instance, the story of the bitter years of Stalin’s rule pre-WW2, when millions of Soviet people died as a consequence.
We know too about post war Soviet-driven occupations of east Germany and eastern European countries, and the subjugation of their populations.
We are aware of modern Russian activities in the area of computer hacking, etc., etc. All these things build the picture on which many people form their opinions, and there’s no denying that they happened.
But, there is another side.
The Russian dominated Soviet Union deserves the major share of the credit for the defeat of Germany in WW2.
You wouldn’t know it from all the American and British post-war films, books, etc, which mostly not only feature deserved credit for western allies efforts, but at the same time mostly ignore the even greater Soviet contribution and suffering altogether.
The Soviet Union suffered around 25 million deaths in the war, including about eight million military personnel. That’s around 14 per cent of its population. For comparison, Britain lost about 450,000, less than one per cent; and the US lost just over 400,000, around 0.3 per cent of its population.
In respect of the part played in Germany’s defeat, it has been estimated that the Soviets were responsible for the destruction of around 75 per cent of Germany’s military might, and they captured Berlin, resulting in the vanquishing of the key German leaders. (The full story of Soviet involvement is much greater and deserves study.)
Putin may well be a rogue leader, but if we are to go forward without continual strife, it might be useful if we tried out (cautiously, no doubt) the idea not just of convenience but of friendship.
More open recognition of the great contribution of Russia (as leader of the Soviet Union) to our own survival of WW2, might help.
John Tippler
Spalding
