65 - Nothing To Fear

[chosen_end_post]

Title: Nothing To Fear
Characters: Russia/America, brief appearances by Poland and Prussia.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: 1983 - The United States and the Soviet Union have their closest brush with nuclear war since the Cuban Missile Crisis. America notices after the fact.

TCE is co-written by wizzard890 and pyrrhiccomedy.

Comments

[pyrrhiccomedy]

It's a hard reminder of how pointless and tragic the Cold War was. Neither side was actively seeking to be the aggressor, and most of the plans made were in case the other side attacked first. If they were to blow up the world, it would only be because of some cruel accident.

I really love this assessment, and it's so, so true. Nobody wanted to start a nuclear war! All the preparation and the bombs and the tension and the drills and the mind games, that was because both sides were scared the other guys would start a war. It's easy to not be scared of the Cold War now, because we know that war never did happen. But a couple times it was pretty close.

it seems Russia has spent a lot of his time building things up just so he can lose everything he has.

It is hard to read Russian history without a bottle of liquor on hand, sometimes. ._.

It's really the only reason I can come up with to explain why America would think an exercise like that would not make Russia upset.

I agree. It was mostly naivete. The Americans (including Reagan) found it genuinely bewildering that the Russians could believe the West would strike first. A lot of analysts, even CIA analysts, dismissed the possibility that the Soviets were motivated by fear altogether. When it's like...HELLO, why WOULDN'T they think we might bomb them? We think they might bomb us!

This was an amazing chapter. Thanks so much.

Thank you so much for reading, and sharing your thoughts. They were a treat to read. =D

[pyrrhiccomedy]

I have the strangest feeling I should be sending Mr. Petrov and the commander of the Russian sub during the Cuban Missile Crisis yearly "thank you for saving the world" flowers.

Oh God, me too. Vasili Arkhipov. Thanks, bro, for keeping everybody un-killed. ._.

I've always found America's reactions to Communism fascinating. The American public wasn't entirely against the idea, since Socialist candidates did, at times, do relatively well in elections. Yet even when capitalism pretty much exploded and left 25% of the workforce unemployed, people still voted in FDR. Though to be fair FDR was a fairly convincing guy.

I've always found that so interesting, too! I think communism is just not compatible with the American psyche, not widescale. When you get right down to it, you'd have to replace pretty much everything that makes America America to get communism to fit right. Individuals can recognize the merit of a lot of Marx's ideas, lots of individuals, even. But America at large is, you know...it's a country of rabid individualists, competitive as hell, in love with money, cheerfully founded on the notion of enlightened self-interest. As bad as capitalism failed America in the 1930s, it was still the only thing that fit.

[pyrrhiccomedy]

I agree. Well, I think there's a couple things going on in that sentiment, and I agree with all of them. XD First of all, of course Russia wasn't cruel or crazy for choosing communism. Communism is a beautiful idea, and Russia was angry and hungry and needed something to change, at the end of the tsardom. That the Revolution was co-opted by selfish and callous men--that's a tragedy.

That said, I think there's definitely a lot of truth in

When I think of Russia, I think of someone who's suffered through so much he feels it necessary to keep the peace and order by any means.

I think authoritarianism is only able to take root in countries where the government can effectively wield the fear in the national psyche, and the world has given Russia plenty to be afraid of. Invasions, droughts, famines, rebellions, nuclear war...jeez, no wonder he gets a bit heavy-handed when it comes time to lay down the law.

As for Russia being crazy and cruel in general...no, I don't see it. And I really dislike that interpretation of him in the fandom. Russia has endured cruel regimes, and crazy leaders, but he was their first victim. And in spite of them, Russia keeps moving forward, and trying to make things work, and trying to make things better, even when it's hard, or when everything fall apart for him, again. I think it's very uncharitable to look at Russian history, and decide that Russia should be as crazy and cruel as some of his leaders have been.

[c4canal]

I know this is a really late reply but I just couldn't resist.

I completely agree with your assessment of Russia as a character and also tend to disagree with the fandom's interpretation of him. I just also wanted to say, it's not so much the fandom having Russia be cruel but the canon itself. Himaruya is always suggesting how evil he is, while still portraying him a cute light. For instance, England trying to summon the devil and getting Russia instead.

And, while I'm at it, I just want to tell you how much I love your portrayal of Russia and America. I must admit, I never really liked America as a character before I started reading your stories. I like the fact that you give him more depth than a lot of the fandom that I've come across, you've actually made the soften up to the guy ^^. You truly are wonderful writers and portray characters and event so very well.

[pyrrhiccomedy]

Thank you so much! It's wonderful to receive encouragement like this, it's really what makes us want to keep going. =D

And, I agree. There's an element of Russophobia in canon that I find...problematic. And while I can deal with a problematic thing in canon by just ignoring it in my fanworks (what? XD), it would be nice if more of the fandom saw it as problematic, too. =/