[thatsamejew]

Half of Europe is nothing compared to what the US owns (de facto) now or what the British empire had. And they are (were) imperialist, expansive, and war mongering. Actually Soviet Union, compared to them, is an amateur.

As to who started the war, the basic fact is that the nazis attacked Soviet Union on 22 june 1941, that it was an immense tragedy, and that saying that the victim was the aggressor is a very unjust and evil thing to say.

[1718627440]

The fact that Germany was some days earlier to start the planned attack on the other, didn't change that the plans were mutually. This was known by western leaders, which is why the support for the UdSSR was controversial. For example it lead to Churchill concluding that "we slaughtered the wrong pig.".

[throwaway3060]

You forget that the Soviet Union's sphere of influence was a lot more than just half of Europe.

For the families who left, there is gratitude every day that the Soviet Union lacked the power to control more than it did - certainly not for lack of will.