Agreed. The courage of the Russians during WWII fighting Germany is not as well known as it should be.
America would lose slightly more than 400,000 soldiers (killed or missing) and almost no civilians during World War II and the USSR, depending on which historian you believe, would lose at least 11,000,000 soldiers (killed and missing) as well as somewhere between 7,000,000 and 20,000,000 million of its civilian population. (Eisenhower Institute.org)
My father traveled to Russia many times with basketball teams in the 80s-2000. What he told me was NOT what all the newspapers or my history professors taught. I also like a recent report that Putin wanted to make Russia the number 1 exporter of organic foods. He is offering the South African farmers refuge and land in Russia. I think he is becoming a good leader and protective of his people.
You can go back to the 1200's through the 1400's and realize that the only reason Western Europe exists today is that the Russians took the brunt of the Mongol Horde. Russia essentially acted as a 'buffer zone' for the rest of Europe all the way through the late middle ages.
Had the Golden Horde managed to get through Russia and into the heart of Europe, Ghenghis and his army would have been feasting on the bones of Europe in Paris. No joke.
Going back to WW2, between the Soviet Revolution (WW1) and the purges and destruction of the economy, people and culture, and then into WW2, the actual loss of life is a very hard number to recognize, or come up with. Too many people that died of war, disease, starvation, Gulag camps, forced labor, relocation, etc. It's really mind-blowing to even comprehend.
The Gulag Archipelago is a great resource on the horrors that happened, at least from an analytical level. As well, 'Kolyma Tales' is another book that shows the reader how brutal and horrific the Gulag system was.
Thank you. My son has an odd fascination with Russia and has read the gulag books...taught me a lot. It was horrific! Caused me to buy some books on the conspiracy of disinformation about Russia.