Not counting those deliberately projecting their wishes, for anyone who might just be dumb (looking at you, brianf) here is something to get you up to speed.
U.S.S.R. or USSR or officially Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
former country 1922–91 in eastern Europe and northern Asia bordering on the Arctic and Pacific oceans and Baltic and Black seas; capital Moscow area 8,649,512 square miles (22,402,236 square kilometers)
NOTE: The Soviet Union, a union of constituent republics (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belorussia, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan), existed from 1922 to 1991 and during that time was the largest country in the world in terms of land area.
first objection: But, but! It was Russia!!!
no, it was a union of republics, of which Russia was one. Many of the worst animals to come out of the USSR were not ethic Russians. The jews were overrepresented. Georgians and Ukrainians were very noteworthy.
second objection: But, but! Russia forced them to be part!
no, the multi-ethnic Party kept control of everything. Status was never a matter of race in the USSR; in fact the preoccupation with race is one of the things they found most objectionable in the Nazis. Status was based on political reliability to the party and the rung they obtained on the party ladder. Never mind trusting or giving special treatment to Russians, the Party didn't even trust the army, which is why there were commissars and a huge rivalry between the KGB and GRU. Furthermore, to draw an apt comparison, the United States has a similar situation- once you come in, you cannot get out. The federal government holds the states in a union, and it will use war to prevent anyone from leaving.
U.S.S.R. or USSR or officially Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
former country 1922–91 in eastern Europe and northern Asia bordering on the Arctic and Pacific oceans and Baltic and Black seas; capital Moscow area 8,649,512 square miles (22,402,236 square kilometers)
NOTE: The Soviet Union, a union of constituent republics (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belorussia, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan), existed from 1922 to 1991 and during that time was the largest country in the world in terms of land area.
first objection: But, but! It was Russia!!!
no, it was a union of republics, of which Russia was one. Many of the worst animals to come out of the USSR were not ethic Russians. The jews were overrepresented. Georgians and Ukrainians were very noteworthy.
second objection: But, but! Russia forced them to be part!
no, the multi-ethnic Party kept control of everything. Status was never a matter of race in the USSR; in fact the preoccupation with race is one of the things they found most objectionable in the Nazis. Status was based on political reliability to the party and the rung they obtained on the party ladder. Never mind trusting or giving special treatment to Russians, the Party didn't even trust the army, which is why there were commissars and a huge rivalry between the KGB and GRU. Furthermore, to draw an apt comparison, the United States has a similar situation- once you come in, you cannot get out. The federal government holds the states in a union, and it will use war to prevent anyone from leaving.