Comments for THE RUSSIAN FRONT http://russian-front.com Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:42:01 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on Caring for Imperial Russia’s Sick and Wounded Soldiers by Laura Meyerovich http://russian-front.com/2011/11/27/caring-for-imperial-russias-sick-and-wounded-soldiers/comment-page-1/#comment-1232 Laura Meyerovich Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:42:01 +0000 http://russian-front.com/?p=560#comment-1232 I posted a fragment about Red Cross in the Russo-Japanese War on my site. Gives an idea how it was run... I posted a fragment about Red Cross in the Russo-Japanese War on my site. Gives an idea how it was run…

]]> Comment on Kommersant on Russian Arms Imports by Laura Meyerovich http://russian-front.com/2012/01/19/kommersant-on-russian-arms-imports/comment-page-1/#comment-1231 Laura Meyerovich Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:24:27 +0000 http://russian-front.com/?p=571#comment-1231 The article refers to military equipment as well as weaponry, and the claim that it was purchased abroad "for the first time" is grossly exaggerated. Russian army was buying muskets abroad in 18th century. After that, it was mostly domestic manufacturing. There are references in military history books to purchasing weapons (but not artillery) from Germany, Belgium, and US after the Crimean war 1858 and later (???????: ??????? ?. ?. ??????? ????????. — ?. ????????? ??? ???? 1940) http://www.grwar.ru/library/Manikovsky/MS_006.html has a section on weaponry purchases abroad during the WWI. I am currently translating memoirs of A.N. Krylov, who in 1908-1910 was a chief inspector of shipbuilding in the Imperial Naval Ministry, and before and after that occupied other important posts in the navy. He writes about building naval ships, as well as purchasing torpedoes and other equipment, abroad. Even the Russian-provided artillery of the Russian battleship Tsesarevich (built in Toulon, launched 1901) had foreign-made components, namely turrets and range finders. Some Russian-built naval ships had important components (machinery, armor plates, etc) purchased abroad. The submarine Protector was secretly purchased in 1904 in USA, renamed Osetr, and used as a basis for two classes of Russian pre-WWI submarines. Stephen McLaughlin's "Russian and Soviet Battleships" is a good source for information about Russian battleships, it lists numerous examples of the Navy ordering ships or purchasing their components abroad. The article refers to military equipment as well as weaponry, and the claim that it was purchased abroad “for the first time” is grossly exaggerated.

Russian army was buying muskets abroad in 18th century. After that, it was mostly domestic manufacturing.

There are references in military history books to purchasing weapons (but not artillery) from Germany, Belgium, and US after the Crimean war 1858 and later (???????: ??????? ?. ?. ??????? ????????. — ?. ????????? ??? ???? 1940)

http://www.grwar.ru/library/Manikovsky/MS_006.html has a section on weaponry purchases abroad during the WWI.

I am currently translating memoirs of A.N. Krylov, who in 1908-1910 was a chief inspector of shipbuilding in the Imperial Naval Ministry, and before and after that occupied other important posts in the navy. He writes about building naval ships, as well as purchasing torpedoes and other equipment, abroad.

Even the Russian-provided artillery of the Russian battleship Tsesarevich (built in Toulon, launched 1901) had foreign-made components, namely turrets and range finders. Some Russian-built naval ships had important components (machinery, armor plates, etc) purchased abroad.

The submarine Protector was secretly purchased in 1904 in USA, renamed Osetr, and used as a basis for two classes of Russian pre-WWI submarines.

Stephen McLaughlin’s “Russian and Soviet Battleships” is a good source for information about Russian battleships, it lists numerous examples of the Navy ordering ships or purchasing their components abroad.

]]> Comment on Remarkably Dumb Journalism by Jim Washington http://russian-front.com/2012/02/29/remarkably-dumb-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-1230 Jim Washington Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:00:04 +0000 http://russian-front.com/?p=574#comment-1230 The lack of basic knowledge of the economic system and economic history among journalists who write on the subject is appalling. One can almost give the general electorate a pass because the state of a true liberal education has become so bleak. The media serves up a diet that is beyond propaganda. I was an Army Propaganda Officer for a few years and remember that one of the principles was that propaganda has to have at least a kernel of truth. A current example is the looming sequester - an impending disaster on a par with the Black Death according to what one is bombarded with by politician and media alike. How less than $50 Billion(of the $85 Billion bandied about only around $48 Billion affects the current fiscal year) reduction in an increase (not a reduction in discrete dollars of current outlay) in a total expenditure of $3.8 trillion and a GDP of $16 trillion - the equivalent of a rounding error - can cause the promised devastation totally escapes all human reason. The lack of basic knowledge of the economic system and economic history among journalists who write on the subject is appalling. One can almost give the general electorate a pass because the state of a true liberal education has become so bleak. The media serves up a diet that is beyond propaganda. I was an Army Propaganda Officer for a few years and remember that one of the principles was that propaganda has to have at least a kernel of truth.

A current example is the looming sequester – an impending disaster on a par with the Black Death according to what one is bombarded with by politician and media alike. How less than $50 Billion(of the $85 Billion bandied about only around $48 Billion affects the current fiscal year) reduction in an increase (not a reduction in discrete dollars of current outlay) in a total expenditure of $3.8 trillion and a GDP of $16 trillion – the equivalent of a rounding error – can cause the promised devastation totally escapes all human reason.

]]> Comment on Measuring the Glass Half Full by The Invention of Tradition, or How Military History Was NOT Written | Russian History Blog http://russian-front.com/2007/08/30/measuring-the-glass-half-full/comment-page-1/#comment-1219 The Invention of Tradition, or How Military History Was NOT Written | Russian History Blog Sun, 28 Oct 2012 22:00:51 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2007/08/30/measuring-the-glass-half-full/#comment-1219 [...] of military history on campuses today. My colleague David Stone has done so far more effectively elsewhere. Instead, I’m doing so to question the basis of many of the most strident critics and defenders [...] [...] of military history on campuses today. My colleague David Stone has done so far more effectively elsewhere. Instead, I’m doing so to question the basis of many of the most strident critics and defenders [...]

]]> Comment on Kommersant on Russian Arms Imports by TF Smith http://russian-front.com/2012/01/19/kommersant-on-russian-arms-imports/comment-page-1/#comment-1218 TF Smith Tue, 16 Oct 2012 03:51:17 +0000 http://russian-front.com/?p=571#comment-1218 The Soviets (as opposed to the Russians, I suppose) also purchased warships built in Italian yards (Tashkent, IIRC) in the interwar period, and actually approached the US for the same thing, long before Lend Lease... One of my professors wrote a book about it. Great blog, by the way. The Soviets (as opposed to the Russians, I suppose) also purchased warships built in Italian yards (Tashkent, IIRC) in the interwar period, and actually approached the US for the same thing, long before Lend Lease…

One of my professors wrote a book about it.

Great blog, by the way.

]]> Comment on War, Revolution, Locomotives, and History by Religion and Capitalism are Yesterday’s Ideas « Defending Iranian Democracy (DID) http://russian-front.com/2009/08/14/war-revolution-locomotives-and-history/comment-page-1/#comment-1212 Religion and Capitalism are Yesterday’s Ideas « Defending Iranian Democracy (DID) Fri, 11 May 2012 21:13:10 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/08/14/war-revolution-locomotives-and-history/#comment-1212 [...] comrades, is a great locomotive of history,” said Leon Trotsky, paraphrasing his intellectual mentor, Karl Marx, who said, “revolution is the driving force of history.” Ideas are catalysts for [...] [...] comrades, is a great locomotive of history,” said Leon Trotsky, paraphrasing his intellectual mentor, Karl Marx, who said, “revolution is the driving force of history.” Ideas are catalysts for [...]

]]> Comment on War, Revolution, Locomotives, and History by Stephan Dobson http://russian-front.com/2009/08/14/war-revolution-locomotives-and-history/comment-page-1/#comment-1211 Stephan Dobson Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:25:36 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/08/14/war-revolution-locomotives-and-history/#comment-1211 The notion that war is the locomotive of history appears to have been rather widespread among the Bolsheviks. Here is Nikolai Bukharin, 1917, “The Russian Revolution and Its Significance.” The Class Struggle 1(1). Available: http://marxists.org/archive/bukharin/works/1917/rev.htm" "Wars and revolutions are the locomotives of history, one of our Socialist teachers once said." This was in May of 1917, a month before Trotsky's celebrated statement. I have been unable to date to locate who this socialist teacher was. Given the polyglot nature of the Bolsheviks, Kautsky might be meant. The notion that war is the locomotive of history appears to have been rather widespread among the Bolsheviks. Here is Nikolai Bukharin, 1917, “The Russian Revolution and Its Significance.” The Class Struggle 1(1). Available: http://marxists.org/archive/bukharin/works/1917/rev.htm” “Wars and revolutions are the locomotives of history, one of our Socialist teachers once said.”
This was in May of 1917, a month before Trotsky’s celebrated statement. I have been unable to date to locate who this socialist teacher was. Given the polyglot nature of the Bolsheviks, Kautsky might be meant.

]]> Comment on The Motherland…Falls? by glenn beltz http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-1210 glenn beltz Wed, 18 Apr 2012 08:06:58 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/#comment-1210 a great, phenomenal statue, deserves our plaudits a great, phenomenal statue, deserves our plaudits

]]> Comment on The Motherland…Falls? by Jerold Crawford - Tampa, FL http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-1209 Jerold Crawford - Tampa, FL Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:28:26 +0000 http://russian-front.com/2009/06/09/the-motherlandfalls/#comment-1209 I, too, am quite moved by this statue. The face is not the slightest bit "ugly", but shows true grit and determination of a woman who wants to save her country. The fact that it was erected by the Soviet governmet is irrelevant. It is a beautiful piece of work that is awe-inspiring. I hope the Russian people will take the time and spend the money to repair this historic piece of artwork for future generation. I, too, am quite moved by this statue. The face is not the slightest bit “ugly”, but shows true grit and determination of a woman who wants to save her country. The fact that it was erected by the Soviet governmet is irrelevant. It is a beautiful piece of work that is awe-inspiring. I hope the Russian people will take the time and spend the money to repair this historic piece of artwork for future generation.

]]> Comment on Remarkably Dumb Journalism by Boris Lvin http://russian-front.com/2012/02/29/remarkably-dumb-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-1200 Boris Lvin Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:20:51 +0000 http://russian-front.com/?p=574#comment-1200 Smae comparison could be done the other way round: you can "recalculate" Apple's "product" to be compared to Poland's product (roughly approximated as GDP). So, the "product" of Apple would be basically its net income (profit and taxes, the latter to be an equivalent of the government component of the GDP) plus labor compensation. According to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.) its 2011 net income was $34 bln. It had employed about 60,000 people; assume that average labor costs were $200,000 per year (definitely an exaggeration), so this component will be $12 bln. Now, GDP is "gross" in that it includes depreciation, so we have to add some estimate of Apple's depreciation. In 2010 it was about $ 1 bln. To sum up, Apple's GDP will be something about $50 bln. Which is huge, but still ten times less than that of Poland. Smae comparison could be done the other way round: you can “recalculate” Apple’s “product” to be compared to Poland’s product (roughly approximated as GDP). So, the “product” of Apple would be basically its net income (profit and taxes, the latter to be an equivalent of the government component of the GDP) plus labor compensation. According to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.) its 2011 net income was $34 bln. It had employed about 60,000 people; assume that average labor costs were $200,000 per year (definitely an exaggeration), so this component will be $12 bln. Now, GDP is “gross” in that it includes depreciation, so we have to add some estimate of Apple’s depreciation. In 2010 it was about $ 1 bln. To sum up, Apple’s GDP will be something about $50 bln. Which is huge, but still ten times less than that of Poland.

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