I recall every year a very common poster who lived in the Netherlands (I believe also a mod) would repost some gratitude to the USA & UK for liberating his country - and even if he didn’t explicitly list other countries they’d be Belgium, France, Denmark, my 14 year old father’s Norway.
I’d welcome seeing it again, if he’s so inclined. If I’ve missed it, beg pardon.
I lived with and married my Russian Professor wife in St. Petersburg in 2011 and lived there for the better part of 2000-2015 when it became oppressive and even dangerous to be any kind of foreigner there esp. on an American Passport Visa, though I also have an Irish Passport.
My wife is a month or so from five-year residency and obtaining Settled Status in the UK. In an argument she said I don’t support her as a Russian (and I likely callously replied, well in the UK or the USA good luck with that).
Let me say since I arrived in the UK in November 2016 and was asked about Trump, I quickly replied “I hope he dies in prison” and was never asked, “No, really, what do you think about him?” There is a certain I suppose fascination with him, how he’s interesting without possessing any charisma and he’ll “shake things up”.
So last week, I guess with an EO, he renamed Victory Day in Europe to “World War II Victory Day” which implicitly (probably explicitly) that the UK et all did fuck all to defeat the Nazis.
As much as I respect Roosevelt then Truman, and of course Eisenhower, I am a cynic.
US troops were stationed in the UK about four years into the war. To prepare for some costly land invasion of France most likely. The Soviet Union was about to capitulate to the Nazis excepting they had winter clothing in Stalingrad and wore the Nazis down. Then, without a doubt they were going to Berlin with a vengeance at least. D-day became much more important if there were to be a chance at any piece of Germany which still was hard fought for.
80 years later - today - I set up three 2’ x 3’ flags in the forestay (forestry?) area facing the street. From left to right were the United States flag flown in the manner of distress (i..e. upside down), the UK Union Jack which actually has an upside (it’s subtle - but once you know) and the Soviet Union Hammer and Sickle Flag. My neighbour happened by while I was just sorta staging it last night and he was like “That is going to be controversial” and suggested a note.
I did write a note: “I lost members of my family defending St. Petersburg during WWII. This flag is respect for Them and our Former Allies” and at the bottom, same size sharpie text “No Respect for V. Putin!”
My wife’s father’s father went MIA in the early days defending Leningrad. Her father was born 14 days into the day 872 siege of Leningrad and remained there for the duration (he died last December).
The Nazis bombed everything in Leningrad/St. Petersburg except the churches (religion or their height made useful waymarks - dunno) and the Astoria Hotel, where Hitler had all ready to go for a celebration party upon taking that city. Did not happen.
At best, the Soviet Union were ostensible allies in WWII. Had they remained aligned with the Nazis who knows what would have happened. Had they lost at Stalingrad only the thin English Channel and the “Big Beautiful Ocean” would have been left.
I mentioned how there’s an upside down American Flag flown from a boat is a signal of maritime distress (tri-colours and such are hung vertically) and I knew some years ago on probably some UK PM’s visit, the UK Union Jack was flown upside down for a press conference or something.
Yet Google was telling me this same thing happened on Keir Starmer’s last visit. I would think even trump knows the tri-color flag of Russia goes horizontally white, blue and red. Not that Putin is going to sit in the oval with the likes of trump, vance and rubio.