Americans are a controversial nation. In one country, tolerance for minorities, tolerance, free market, individualization and the highest costs for the military and constant involvement in mass conflicts coexist. Last field
fight, according to the Internet community, was Ukraine. After Maidan, everyone started talking about another confrontation between Americans and Russians. They remembered both the Iron Curtain and past feuds. Many people wonder what will happen next. And why are Americans afraid of Russians? And are they afraid at all?
Education America
Before answering these questions, you need to plunge into the history of the United States of America and understand why the overseas country is perceived as the main aggressor. It is enough to remember how their story began. Burning the lands of the Indians and the extermination of entire tribes and civilizations - albeit a standard one, but not the best start for a liberal nation from the current point of view. It is worth noting that the Iroquois were a very educated and progressive people, and who knows howhistory turned, survive their civilization. And most importantly, what would Europe be like if it did not conquer and expand its expansion into North and South America.
USA in the 19th century
At the beginning of the 19th century, Europe with its conservative Catholic values became the main enemy of Americans. Americans despised everything European, valued their own "self" and individualism, and considered themselves a nation chosen by God.
At the same time, the slave trade flourished. And if the black population was not the enemy of the Americans, then the people of rights and freedoms despised, in their opinion, the lower, good-for-nothing “subhumans”. The chauvinist attitude towards blacks in the United States continued at the beginning of the 20th century, when pockets of lynching of the black population were recorded.
America vs Japan
During the Second World War, in addition to Nazi Germany, the Americans fought with Japan. The enmity between the two nations ended in sad events: Pearl Harbor, in which almost the entire US fleet was flooded and many soldiers were killed, as well as the dropping of a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where many people died, some of whom died from radioactive exposure after.
Subsequently, the Americans, as befits the winners, imposed severe sanctions on the Japanese empire, which had a negative impact on its economy.
The Iron Curtain and the battle of the two superpowers
After the Second World War, the main enemy of the United States was the Soviet Union. In addition to the military arms race, both countries developed espionage as well as space programs. It seems that after the Iron Curtain, mutual propaganda against each other and uniting in opposing coalitions, not counting the Balkan crisis, the question of why Americans are afraid of the Russians will disappear by itself. Although it is worth noting that the rivalry of the two superpowers throughout the 20th century gave the world such great achievements as manned space flight, landing on the moon, developments in the field of nuclear physics, chemistry and biology. In addition, political and economic institutions developed, which later became ingrained in the ideology of both countries. The development of institutions and knowledge-intensive areas, as well as industrial production, gave people jobs, provided them with shelter, and generally improved the life of a citizen. Unfortunately for us, the USSR lost in this fight.
To understand the reason for the defeat, you need to plunge into sociology and political science. After reading the works of the famous sociologist and futurist Francis Fukuyama, namely “The Great Divide” and “Trust”, one can immediately determine that the hierarchical political and administrative system of the USSR, based on bloated factories with low levels of trust in employees, was doomed to failure. Whereas mobile and peer-to-peer networks based on trust and increasing the responsibility of the common worker allowed America to ride into the information age on horseback. A prime example of such mobile organizations in the United States are Silicon Valley companies that are willing to take risks and notafraid of the challenge of time, namely the Apple of Steve Jobs and the Microsoft of Bill Gates.
Russian nuclear power
We are close to answering the question of why Americans are afraid of the Russians. To summarize all of the above in one sentence: America understands that throughout its history, in most cases, it has been an aggressor. And right now it became clear to the whole world.
Now let's talk about Russia's military power. Americans fear the Russians because the largest country in the world has the largest number of nuclear warheads capable of destroying the planet multiple times. Therefore, the US military policy against Russia does not work a priori. Americans are afraid. Russia cannot be subjected to air strikes or to bring troops into its territory. This means that the methods of fighting against it must be different. Although there is always the danger of being declassified and exposing yourself to blows. So, at least after the WikiLeaks case and Julian Assange, relations between the EU and the US worsened.
Great Russian soldiers
Are Americans afraid of Russian soldiers? They have, at the very least, plenty to worry about. These are partisan movements during the Second World War and intervention, the valor and courage of Soviet soldiers in the Great Patriotic War, which we always remember on the ninth of May, as well as the fearlessness of the Russian army in the battles in Chechnya. All this suggests that the Russian army is not only trained by long years of protracted wars, but also staunchly defends its homeland. rich Russianhistory, the conquests of the Russian Empire, the strength of the Soviet armed forces - this is the answer to the question of why the Americans are afraid of the Russian special forces of the already modern model.
Are Americans afraid of the Russian people?
On the one hand, I'm glad that there are a lot of stereotypes around Russians. After all, oddly enough, it is their presence that speaks of the strength of the nation and the state. Can you remember the stereotype about Denmark? But on the other hand, according to the human development index, Russia occupies a modest 77th place. But the rating takes into account all important social components, such as he alth, education, etc. Will the Russians be able to unite when a new and old enemy in the face of the United States is attacked, or will they lay down their arms, as Poland once faced Nazi Germany or Prussia before Napoleon's army? But still, Russia is different now. She does not have the economic abilities that were under the "reds", and does not have the faith that she had during the reign of Alexander the First and Alexander the Second. "Tsar. Autocracy. Nationality" - it was and is gone. Now our people are lost and worried about their current situation. There are not so many reasons to be proud of the country, and it will not work for a long time to ride on the fragments of the old system. So whether Americans are afraid of Russians in such a situation is a moot point.
If we touch on the military power of the country, then there is no question of why Americans are afraid of Russian soldiers, but the same cannot be said for sure about our people and our politics. The main problem is just something else. by the mostAn important question for the near future is this: "Are Americans afraid of Russians, both as a people, and as a state, and as an ideology?"
