[ARCHIVED] r/historymemes worst takes

I’ve briefly discussed many of these elsewhere, but in sum:

The reference to Ukrainians presumably refers to the ‘famine‐genocide’ conspiracy theory.

The reference to Poles may refer to the NKVD’s suppression of Polish conspirational groups, and the allegations that the Soviets committed the Katyn massacres.

Concerning the Chechens, Ingush, and Tatars, the shitty truth is that the Axis managed to draw substantial numbers of these people into their cause (even oppositional sources admit this), but I doubt that Moscow’s relocations were forms of collective punishment or reprisal; the determination to preserve nationalities, prevent further exposure to Axis influence, and the lack of time needed to identify the collaborators were probably more important factors in the decision:

CHUEV: How do you explain the forced resettlement of entire ethnic groups during the war? MOLOTOV: …The fact is that during the war we received reports about mass treason. Battalions of Caucasians opposed us at the fronts and attacked us from the rear. It was a matter of life and death; there was no time to investigate the details. Of course innocents suffered. But I hold that given the circumstances, we acted correctly.

— Felix Chuev, Molotov Remembers, p. 195

Yeah, relocation fucking sucks; thousands of innocents died, but what was the alternative? Leave them there with the Reich? Or maybe leave them there so that somebody could kill them in the middle of warfare?

I’m not asking anybody to like it. I’m not even asking anybody to forgive it. All that I’m asking is to consider this explanation, compare it with the ‘colonial racism’ one, and decide which one is more credible. With all that being said, I can’t do anything to stop people from immediately antagonizing me (again).