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Why They Behave Like Russians
Date not stated
262 pages, hardcover
First published January 1, 1946
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About the author
John Fischer
56 books7 followersThis is the disambiguation profile for otherwise unseparated authors publishing as John Fischer.
See also John Fisher
See also John Fisher
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 17, 2009
I found this little gem at the VNSA Book Sale, which is the best used book sale on the planet. I paid $1.00 for a first-edition hardcover. The book is no collector piece, but it's in great shape and, even better, has that wonderful old-book musty smell to it.
Anyway, the author John Fischer visited Russia, mainly the Ukraine, for about two months in 1945, very shortly after the conclusion of WW2. Before that, he studied the Soviet Union as an academic, and during the war as a member of the Board of Economic Warfare (which, btw, sounds like a very cool board). His purpose for writing the book was to examine, not critique or defend, the Soveity economic system to determine how it might react under stress.
He concludes that the Communists ruling Russia were afraid, for the publicly-stated reason of an invasion by the Western capitalist powers, as predicted by Marxist doctrine. The question, then, is how does the West deal with Russia?
But before answering that, he details several facets of Soviet life in the Ukraine, the industry, the farms, the secret police, and so on. It's a mix of travel narrative and economic and political analysis. It's interesting and fun to read, in fact, even if at times the author's analysis proved a bit deficient. For example, he chalks up the inefficiency in the factories to cultural reasons unique to Russia, as opposed to ideological reasons unique to Marxism. After all, if the worker's wages don't rely on profits, then the worker has no incentive to improve profits by improving effieciency. But the author overlooks these reasons.
That's not entirely a bad thing, though, since I think a lot of analysis of the Soviet system tends to de-emphasize the historical and cultural aspects of Russian that informed its implementation of socialism.
The book also is not without its charms. For example, in describing Ukranian wet nurses, he writes that "their mammalian equipment can only be described as magnificent," and that "Lana Turner wouldn't get a second glance in Kiev," due to all the busty babes. I thought that was funny.
He also predicts, in the end, that American and Soviet tensions will probably last a long time. He proved pretty prescient there!
Anyway, if you can track this down somehow, and are interested in Russian history, you'll enjoy this book.
Anyway, the author John Fischer visited Russia, mainly the Ukraine, for about two months in 1945, very shortly after the conclusion of WW2. Before that, he studied the Soviet Union as an academic, and during the war as a member of the Board of Economic Warfare (which, btw, sounds like a very cool board). His purpose for writing the book was to examine, not critique or defend, the Soveity economic system to determine how it might react under stress.
He concludes that the Communists ruling Russia were afraid, for the publicly-stated reason of an invasion by the Western capitalist powers, as predicted by Marxist doctrine. The question, then, is how does the West deal with Russia?
But before answering that, he details several facets of Soviet life in the Ukraine, the industry, the farms, the secret police, and so on. It's a mix of travel narrative and economic and political analysis. It's interesting and fun to read, in fact, even if at times the author's analysis proved a bit deficient. For example, he chalks up the inefficiency in the factories to cultural reasons unique to Russia, as opposed to ideological reasons unique to Marxism. After all, if the worker's wages don't rely on profits, then the worker has no incentive to improve profits by improving effieciency. But the author overlooks these reasons.
That's not entirely a bad thing, though, since I think a lot of analysis of the Soviet system tends to de-emphasize the historical and cultural aspects of Russian that informed its implementation of socialism.
The book also is not without its charms. For example, in describing Ukranian wet nurses, he writes that "their mammalian equipment can only be described as magnificent," and that "Lana Turner wouldn't get a second glance in Kiev," due to all the busty babes. I thought that was funny.
He also predicts, in the end, that American and Soviet tensions will probably last a long time. He proved pretty prescient there!
Anyway, if you can track this down somehow, and are interested in Russian history, you'll enjoy this book.
January 22, 2021
Interesting to read this after the Churchill series and all his warnings of The Iron Curtain. Also from my Mom's book-of-the-month collection. Nothing surprising, although I guess I didn't know Stalin's treatment of Jews stemmed from his fight with Trotsky, a Jew. As a collection of Harper's articles, surprising how on board it is with the idea of a first strike with the atomic bomb before Russia could develop their own. And increases my support for Ukraine against Russian aggression. Let's see how our new president handles this one, given relentless right wing targeting of his kid's business dealings there.
November 12, 2024
Written in 1946, right after the war, Fischer was a UN representative mainly monitoring the relief aide going into Russia. Mainly focused on his activities in Ukraine, his book delivers an excellent picture of the conditions of all of Russia after WW2. He briefly describes the history of the region and the struggles of the average citizens to just survive when the Germans had destroyed everything they could before retreating. He describes the people as strong and able, accepting what is and working to rebuild their country and lives. The author tells of the Communist Party's control of everything, and their insistence of focusing on rebuilding their military over infrastructure for the citizenry. The correlations to how modern Russian government still operates is very interesting. It explains a lot about why things there are like they are today. Very well written. Still relevant today. Highly recommended.
September 7, 2023
The Soviet Union, following WWII and before the Cold Was as seen by the author, working with a UN relief agency. It depicts the dreadful uncertainty and poverty felt by the country, still more like what we would call a third world country today. along with the extreme paranoia of the ruling order and at the end paints a rather rosy picture of how we could both get together. Some of it tinges towards the sardonic, but - at the time, who knew? I like the author's style and look forward to reading some of his other books.
October 4, 2020
A gem! I liked the author's explanation of Russia's geography and it's impact on the country. I liked the further explanation of Nazi destruction in the country as a whole, and particularly Ukraine. We've visited Russia twice and while there visited many museums and monuments. I've studied up on Russia before and after visiting. This book, written in 1946, answers many lingering questions. 10/2020
April 24, 2021
John Fischer’s Why They Behave Like Russians, 1947, is a prescient observation re this nation’s relations with post-war Russia. This book would be especially useful to diplomats, economists, and historians.
Fischer himself was a remarkable man, an attorney, a doctorate in Hebrew literature, and years of service to the federal government.
November 3, 2024
This is a good look at city and rural life in the Ukraine in the mid-1940s. The effects and conditions of communism, the mind set and prophecies predicted at the time of writing. As usual after reading this kind history, I am grateful to be born in the time and place I was and not then and there. Those were tough people!
January 9, 2025
Sitting with over 70 years of hindsight to my advantage, I found John Fischer analysis of a Soviet threat still very much to come enlightening. The book, like all good pieces of social science literature, shines a light on our current world as well.
January 8, 2017
Terrific read! Insight into an overlooked period of post-WWII Soviet Union, between the hot war and the cold war. The book adds the impression that things might have gone very differently, but not easily given the entrenched fears from all sides. Adds to the tapestry including such books as Stanley Karnow's Vietnam.
February 26, 2015
I found this book among many old books in my grandmother's attic, it was one of my mother's school books. It is a very interesting book to read if you have any curiosity about the Russians and some of their ways of life.
August 23, 2010
Un gran análisis de la situación en los primeros años de la posguerra, básicamente termina prediciendo la guerra fría (aunque no sus consecuencias)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews