Russia – Neko Random

Fun Fact: First Man in Space

The first man in space was the Soviet Union’s Yuri Gagarin. In 1961 he completed an orbit around the Earth in his Vostok spacecraft.

Fun Fact: Difference Between Russia and the Soviet Union

When the Soviet Union formed, Russia was no longer a country. It was the new country’s largest state. It would be incorrectly referred to as Russia, even when a lot of their people were also from former countries like Ukraine and Belarus which are now countries.

Fun Fact: Russian Name For World War II

While World War II had two major sides, a lot of countries had different names for the war and only fought certain nations its allies may have not. In the Soviet Union (which saw almost no involvement in the Pacific) people referred to the war as the “Great Patriotic War” in Russian. Though the termContinue reading “Fun Fact: Russian Name For World War II”

Fun Fact: The Soviet Female Sniper Who Terrified Germany

One of World War II’s most notable soldiers was the Soviet Union’s Roza Shanina. She personally took out 54 German soldiers, which earned her the nickname “the unseen terror of East Prussia”. She died in 1945 shortly before the end of of the war by shielding a wounded officer.

Fun Fact: When an American Won a Soviet Music Contest

In 1958 during the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union hosted an international music competition. While the event was designed to demonstrate Soviet cultural superiority, it was won by an American. Van Cliburn’s piano talent led to the audience giving him an eight minute standing ovation. When he returned home he was treatedContinue reading “Fun Fact: When an American Won a Soviet Music Contest”