In society

Parting

May 7, 2010 Nikolai Svanidze

We still have a lot to learn about that war. The one about which the people of my generation, also already aging, are used to talking simply: war. Before the war, after the war. During the war. Okudzhava wrote: "On that single civilian." For us, the only one was domestic.

Only we did not know that it began for us before we used to count, and did not immediately become domestic.

First, in September 39, we entered the war on one side. On the side of Hitler. And only then, in July of the 41st, and not of their own free will, ended up on the other side. Then the war turned into the domestic for us.

"History does not know the subjunctive mood." Nonsense! Even as he knows. For years, this maxim has been inspired for years to convince: the story is non -alternative, and therefore the only possible, which is possible, is undeniable, indisputable, everything that happened and happens to us.

Everything is valid is reasonable, and the point. But it is always incredibly interesting to find, to solve unfulfilled historical options. This game is endless. In relation to the war, such riddles also have numbers. Including - terrible. Here are those that lie on the surface.

What would have happened if Hitler had not started the war on two fronts and did not attack his ally of Stalin, close to him in the spirit, sharing his chronic hatred to Western democracies, and, leaving the intraspecific, related disassembly with him for later and enlisted his friendly neutrality, and even support, with all the power, would have collapsed in England, which then fought alone?

And if Japan did not attack the States in the fall of the 41st, but on us, as Hitler demanded and dictated strategic logic, and would at least tied our Far Eastern divisions, not allowing them to come to the defense of Moscow?

And if Hitler, having measured his pedantry in solving the Jewish issue, did not squeeze out from Germany great German physicists of non -Aryan origin, who later made the states a bomb, but created them the conditions for work?

These historical options were completely real, and any of them could have catastrophic, irreversible consequences for both our country and the world as a whole. Thank God they did not take place.

But how much everything hung in the balance! And this hair was not suspended and it did not depend on us whether it would be cut.

This should be remembered, celebrating the victory.

Literally before our eyes, in the most recent years, the spirit itself has changed unrecognizably on May 9. The holiday ceased to be folk and finally became state. Those. Such as the state wants to see him in accordance with its aesthetic, historical and political-ideological ideas.

A lot has already been written about glamor and “victory”, and all this is fair.

This was inevitable to happen. The native state regained the habit of putting a paw on everything that, in his opinion, is poorly lied in the 90s. Moreover, the paw of the native state has the characteristic feature that the claws are not drawn, like the representatives of the cat family, but are constantly released, like dogs and bears. With all the consequences of this circumstance.

And the great holiday, according to his native state, lay badly.

The old veterans have already expected once or twice, and even thus at ninety. There were almost no writers and directors who passed the front and ready to publicly defend the truth that they saw and survived.

The time has come for official veteran organizations. They consist or now, due to respectable age, are returns by retired military and representatives of other law enforcement agencies. Most people are well -deserved, but possessing a very definite mentality. And “for the most part” because the camp WHRA, and Katyn and other shooters are also veterans, and were awarded military orders and medals. But still there are not so many of them. Although not so little, since they did not receive wounds and shells and their health is good.

These organizations have multi -star leaders. And these people now have an unlimited opportunity to express themselves and give peremptory historical assessments on behalf of all front -line soldiers. Living and the dead. Fortunately, there is no one to enter the dispute with them.

The truth was replaced by myths. And although these general myths in their general line correspond to the official sovereign mindships, their specific content turned out to be so undeveloped that the native state squeamishly grimaced and made it clear what I would like ... Well, about the same, only somehow, well, more and more dodging, or something. And even foreigners will not come to the holiday, and the hype is not necessary. And in general, from sin, no extremes.

I am sorry for the old holiday. I am even more sorry for the generation of winners.

I am ashamed in front of them.

Charmed by the war, they returned home, one out of ten. And when the girls - classmates, yesterday's schoolgirls, funny and so desired, asked with flirty insolence: “And where are your awards, comrade front -line soldier, if you fought?”, They casually opened the overcoat, and there, on a migic gymnaster, a “red star” was dark - for the forcing of the Dnieper, when three and two remained from the company and two and two and two. Medals - for wounding near Kursk and for battles in Budapest.

And the girls froze. And it was happiness.

But very soon they were made to understand that their feats remained in the past, they are already marked with their homeland, and enough about it.

"Boldly entered the other people's capitals, but returned in fear in their own."

Stalin did not need heroes in such an uncontrolled quantity. Firstly, he was used to appointing heroes himself. Secondly, these people seem to be very seriously imagined that it was they and their murdered comrades won the war. And this did not climb into any gate.

And Stalin canceled the Victory Festival.

He returned 20 years later, in the 65th, and that was a great joy for front-line soldiers. They were still in the prime, in the juice. And since then they met and kissed, and drank one hundred and more, and cried, and rang with festive jackets.

Those of them who have successfully developed life, as a rule, were not often remembered by the war and without enthusiasm. Those who have not developed life, remembered willingly, with pleasure, with nostalgia. But both of them were equally deceived by the country saved by them.

Numerous jubilee, festive jacket became more heavier to combat, front -line awards. It was nice. But that was all.

Those. In addition to the next medal by the next date, there was nothing more. Neither until the 91st year, nor after. Not in the dashing 90s, when oil cost $ 8 per barrel. Not in the blessed zero when it cost $ 140.

No money, any serious, not offensive, not similar to handout. No, of course, the promised apartments.

Nothing.

To the hairdresser without queue. Plus hot greetings and our compliments.

All.

The next round date will be in five years. Today we say goodbye to them.