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This photo requires some basic knowledge of history

img.photobucket.com — Can you tell when this photo was made, why this man is smiling, and what is he holding in his hand?

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  • casspa, on 05/09/2008, -7/+89I'd be smiling too
    • jesuswuzanalien, on 05/09/2008, -4/+24if you had a midget hidden underneath that trench coat?
      • radsprack, on 05/09/2008, -6/+5I'd be sooo happy if I had a midget hidden underneath my trench coat.
    • MiddleOfNowhere, on 05/09/2008, -0/+157This picture was taken by a Russian photographer called Jewgeni Chaldej (or Yevgeny Khaldei for the English-speaking world) on May 5 1945 before the Reichstag in Berlin, ten minutes from where I live.
      You probably all know another photo taken by him on the same day: It's the one of a soldier placing the Red flag of the Soviet Union's atop the Reichstag building in Berlin, signifying the fall of Germany. It is one of the world's most famous war photos (although it was a reconstruction of what happened a few days before. Chaldej was not only a great photographer, but also a Pre-Photoshop expert in "optimizing" reality. You'll see what I mean if you go see an exhibition of his works).
      No, I am not making this up. And I happen to know it because by chance a friend invited me to come and see his exhibition, which opened yesterday at the Martin-Gropius-Bau, a beautiful building near the Holocaust Memorial and the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. The Russian ambassador held a speech, and I was glad I went, because Chaldej's pictures of WWII are very moving, and many have never been shown in the West. Believe me that the one linked here is one of the less disturbing/interesting.
      Chaldej was a Russian jew who built his first cameras by himself. His mother was killed during a program, the Nazis killed his father and brothers. So it must have been a strange experience for him to stand on the ruins of fascist Germany.
      If you are in Berlin, you should definitely go and see this exhibition (more at http://www.chaldej.de/). Although many of the pictures were propaganda supposed to show the Soviet army's invincible march towards Germany in 44/45, it gives a chilling impression of the brutality of war. Russia had the highest death toll during the war against the fascists, and many of the soldiers Chaldej photographed did not survive the war.
      One of his most disturbing images shows a Nazi in Vienna, Austria who - when the Russians invaded - took his wife and kids to a park, arranged them on two benches and shot them all before killing himself. It is rather symbolic because it all looks very orderly, showing the Nazi's obsession with "proper" killing.
      • ShrimpCrackers, on 05/09/2008, -17/+9They may not have survived, but immediately after the fall of Berlin, many Soviet soldiers proceeded to carry out a brutal and mass raping of German women and children, one of the largest ones in history that made the Rape of Nanking seem like a walk in the park.
        • MiddleOfNowhere, on 05/09/2008, -2/+48As many people seem to forget because they have been brainwashed by 60 years of "our" (the West) side portraying WWII as mainly American business, no-one was ***** harder by the Nazis than the Soviet Union. They lost around 27 *million* people after Hitler invaded - both soldiers and civilians. The Wehrmacht and Hollywood's favorite henchmen, the SS, raped, killed and plundered their way until they were stopped before the gates of Moscow and at Stalingrad and left nothing but burnt earth when they retreated.
          So it might be a *little* too much to expect the Soviet soldiers (many of them just kids with machine guns, as you can see in Khaldei's photos) to arrive with bouquets of flowers and chocolate on the doorstep of Nazi Germany after they had seen the husbands of those German women massacre their families back at home.
          That being said, every act of rape (be it in war or times of piece) is a crime. But I find the way you place this piece of information (without giving any numbers or links, just a hint at Japanese war crimes) a bit out of context to say the least.
          • arpad, on 05/09/2008, -4/+14Oh well, as long as we're going to have some context, let's have some context.
            A major piece of the reason the Soviet Union was so incapable of resisting Germany's aggression was the fact that Stalin, incompetent at everything except orchestrating a reign of terror, had destroyed the officer corp. Tens of thousands of experienced Red Army officers were arrested and killed or imprisoned as a result of Stalin's paranoid delusions.
            As for the orgy of rape ShrimpCrackers mentions, depending on what you read it was either official Soviet policy and encouraged or simply condoned. In any case, the brutality, murder of civilians, rape and plunder were never discouraged or punished.
            What's disturbing is the juvenile defense of this incomprehensibly vast crime as an appropriate response to a similar crime. On an individual basis reprisals are understandable, on an official policy basis they're inexcusable and that's why the Soviet Union, and now Russia, has sought to obscure and minimize knowledge of the episode.
          • fmorel90, on 05/09/2008, -9/+3Also, the Soviet Union didn't care about its people much....it destroyed everything in its path on its way to Germany and it sent wave after wave of people to destroy the Germans. My World History had a good word for it, but I can't remember it.
          • solid12345, on 05/09/2008, -4/+12Yeah well if you also knew history you'd know the Nazis and Soviets ***** over Poland TOGETHER, and let us not forget Stalin's invasion of Finland.

            Liberators my ass, Stalin was just ***** he didn't get to share in the Nazi spoils and conquest.
          • MiddleOfNowhere, on 05/09/2008, -3/+8Since digg seems to have a limited thread depth, I'm replying to arpad and solid12345 down here:
            I am the last person on earth to defend Stalin & Co. - I have little sympathy for communism, especially not the genocide/terror/1984-ish flavor that was en vogue in early Russia.
            Still, you can't ignore the fact that it was Germany that attacked neighbouring countries, and the Soviet Union did a lot of the dirty work that was required to defeat the Third Reich. A pure "Get off my lawn, damn Nazis" kind of defense at the Russian borders would not have done, so the retaliation had to end in Berlin.
            The fact that we do not live under a Europe-wide fascist regime today was paid for with a lot of Russian blood (*and* British *and* American *and* French blood).
            Frankly I think that (seeing how little resistance there was in Germany, a country regarded as highly civilized before starting two world wars) we haven't deserved the freedom we enjoy today, but that's another story.
            That being said, Stalin was a bastard, he murdered his own people during and after this war, and I am the first to believe that much like Hitler, he was incompetent as a military leader and sent a generation of young men to death, much like his nemesis. And nothing "justifies" raping and killing defenseless people. But you are putting a lot of blame on very young men who had survived the greatest war in human history, who did not choose to be there and who by this time had seen more death and destruction than 99.9 % of us ever will.
            And yes, Poland was the first country to be attacked by the Nazis, and it suffered immensely.
            Happy now?
          • davidg11, on 05/09/2008, -0/+5Does no one remember the PACT that Hitler had with Stalin? The only reason they went to war with each other is because Hitler didn't trust Stalin and he wanted all that land for the breadbasket of Germany.
          • Metman, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1"much like Hitler, he was incompetent as a military leader" - Actually, he was not as incompetent was he was egotistical. He made excellent personnel decisions in regard to leading his military, however when he was contradicted he often allowed his arrogance to make decisions based on defiance rather then prudence.
          • divrekku, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3Yes there was a pact but both parties knew it was temporary. Stalin knew it would only be a matter of time before Nazi Germany invaded. He was surprised at the suddenness of the attack (he assumed it would be after Britain and France were completely taken care of), but he wasn't suprrised at the invasion.
        • gincarnated, on 05/09/2008, -5/+13One does not excuse the other. It just goes to show that both were scum. I don't think anyone in Europe considers WW2 "American Business" either. Especially not in the UK while they stood alone against Nazi Germany.
          • zeabu, on 05/09/2008, -9/+2The UK was never alone.
          • redfan, on 05/09/2008, -4/+9They were during the Battle of Britain.
          • RogerStrong, on 05/09/2008, -0/+7This would come as a surprise to Canada.
          • Noureddin, on 05/09/2008, -10/+2UK might have not been wimps back then... but now-a-days... they are...
            *SMALL earthquake*
            People of UK: "AL-K-DA!!!"
            lol
            Europe is a bunch of pussies now. And they aren't even really smart. =|
          • piper999, on 05/09/2008, -0/+5Noureddin's cogent and deeply thought provoking post has certainly caused me to reassess the regard with which I hold my fellow countrymen. How far the New World has come to produce such well rounded genius.
          • allywilson, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3"The UK was never alone." True. We had the surrender monkeys on our side.
          • zeabu, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2If you consider the British commenwealth as one country, those who dugg me down, may be right. But it was NOT one country.

            "They were during the Battle of Britain." Then so were the Dutch in holland, the Belgians in Belgium and to a point the French in France. Even so, they had support from some American troops, although officialy not in war.
            Saying they were alone is a disgrace to the resistance.
            And ofcourse you have the soviets. But yes, digg me down, without even giving a time-frame.
          • cawpin, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2"Especially not in the UK while they stood alone against Nazi Germany."

            Riiiiight....
      • Noureddin, on 05/09/2008, -4/+3At least someone here is smart and serious. Everyone else and joking/lying. And then theres idiots not knowing anything about history here. Heck they might even think jews are only ones that suffered during holocaust.
        • zjbird, on 05/10/2008, -0/+3Is it just me or does anyone else think that was a little bit more than "basic" knowledge?
    • sidwheat, on 05/09/2008, -7/+1Urm, is it just me or does the soldier not look like Jude Law in his 2001 movie 'Enemy at the Gates'...?
      • mGARANDEUR1, on 05/09/2008, -0/+5You're right, he doesn't look like Jude Law.
  • DeathWish808, on 05/09/2008, -85/+9I suck at history, always have. Is this Russian? What war? ....Yeah, I'm an idiot. I'm not smarter than a 5th grader. :-D
    • n0t0kayipr0mis3, on 05/09/2008, -3/+17Aren't you the guy who submits a million vids on break.com?
    • quomen, on 05/09/2008, -2/+7You're a disgrace to hawaii.
    • magnus3994, on 05/09/2008, -14/+12youre american right?
    • Atheyst, on 05/09/2008, -1/+3Dude how much money have you made from break?
    • getbusyliving, on 05/09/2008, -2/+2I'm just impressed he could even comprehend how to post a comment.
    • DeathWish808, on 05/09/2008, -5/+3You guys are idiots. If you can't smell the sarcasm in that then you are truly idiots. Comprehend that mutha *****! hahahaha
  • macwisdom, on 05/09/2008, -13/+884World Warll Berlin Germany, A Soviet solder holding the head of an Adolf Hitler statue. Side note: The tank in the background is a T-34.
    • lazycat, on 05/09/2008, -37/+22Very good, although actually it's not T-34 in the background.
      Now tell me the approximate date of the photo, and why is it important?
      • covertress, on 05/09/2008, -0/+32The approximate date of the photo is May 8-9, 1945, V-E Day (Victory in Europe,) when the Germans finally laid down their arms and surrendered, ending WWII. (video link) http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?acti ...
      • zestyhedgehog, on 05/09/2008, -0/+11The approximate day would be May 2-8, that's when the soviet army overtook Berlin and it was over on the 8th of May.
        С Днем Победы!
      • domomike, on 05/09/2008, -1/+4The soldier's name is Dmitry and his last name starts with a "K."
      • Pinkertinkle, on 05/09/2008, -4/+3Looks like a late model T34-85 to me. What do you think it is?
        • Abomonog, on 05/09/2008, -1/+1Forgot what they're called but it looks like a captured German anti-tank tank.
          • Pinkertinkle, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1It's definitely not a Stug, which is what i think you're referring. Given the sloped armor and profile its most likely a t34 or possibly a is
      • XeNoGeAr78, on 05/09/2008, -0/+42Why are we doing lazycat's history homework?
    • rauz, on 05/09/2008, -3/+63And the dome in the far background would be the Reichstag.
      http://www.lilano.de/catalog/index.php/cPath/21_36
    • wickensworth, on 05/09/2008, -3/+614And the horse in the background is named Ribbons
      • pegothejerk, on 05/09/2008, -24/+19I thought that was Charlie, but you appear to be correct.

        Shun the non-believer. Shun.
      • crfcsf, on 05/09/2008, -2/+94Interestingly, Ribbons was one of the few conspirators in Hitler's assassination plot to escape execution. Disillusioned and demoralized after the plot failed, he went on to work in the Soviet artillery corps (as pictured) and was later eaten by Cossacks.
        • Disgod, on 05/09/2008, -0/+17Poor Ribbons. He was born to a drunken mustang, and a broken filly. He had to work for everything in his life and just when he got to the top he got tossed back down again to die in ignominy.
        • MisterNetHead, on 05/09/2008, -1/+2Heh. My nice guy side is keeping me from making a wiki page about dear old Ribbons. But you can if you want! Not that I'm condoning vandalism or anything. Noooo, not at alllll.

          *leans over and whispers http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ribbons& ... *
      • TheBigBrother, on 05/09/2008, -0/+74And judging by the way the light is reflecting, the walking stick is made of mahogany
        • xkorbin, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3Mahogany is not native to Germany or Russia. I am not quite sure of which European country he could have acquired such a stick..
        • corneliusJones, on 05/09/2008, -0/+9The swallow may fly south with the sun or the house martin or the plover may seek warmer climes in winter, yet these are not strangers to our land.
          • ConceptJunkie, on 05/09/2008, -0/+6Are you suggesting trees migrate?!
          • lupuz2k, on 05/09/2008, -1/+1so what would be the air-velocity of an unladen swallow?
      • wrzhydr, on 05/09/2008, -2/+25There are two horses. We don't give credit for partial answers.
      • StevenJV, on 05/09/2008, -2/+9well played sir, well played
      • prisoner24601, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3Simple deduction Watson!
      • lateralus, on 05/09/2008, -1/+17And the wheels on the cart you ask? 26's....135/75/26 Pirelli's. I didn't go to public school.
        • jun2san, on 05/09/2008, -0/+24I don't know much, but I do know that the wheels on the cart go 'round and 'round.
      • firstrule, on 05/09/2008, -5/+2hahaha! I just started laughing at the office!
        • beziboy, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2Hahaha me too ...
        • volonix, on 05/10/2008, -0/+3What the *****, the original got -3 diggs, and the 'me too' got +2. Seriously, Digg..
      • BuildingOnFire, on 05/09/2008, -0/+6Great horse name. You sir are a champ.
      • SqlByte, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3You made my day !!!
        Well... maybe i am overreacting, you just made me lol.
      • entrepreneur2, on 05/09/2008, -0/+11What did you do on vacation? Oh, I went to Berlin and got a little head.
      • toasterweasel, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1Buttercup
    • Zipko, on 05/09/2008, -5/+47I got those first 3 points but I was really stumped thinking it was some kind of trick question. I just figured those things were obvious and that there had to be something more to the picture I was missing. I guess I overestimated how well people know history.
      • tanside, on 05/09/2008, -0/+12I agree, it seemed pretty obvious even by the thumbnail when it was taken and that the statues head was Adolph's. I assumed there was something more too.
      • Chrispyc1211, on 05/09/2008, -1/+6Eh, I'd say the identification of the soldier as Soviet might escape some people. The other two seem pretty straight-forward, though.
        • C0MF0RTABLYnumb, on 05/09/2008, -1/+4Yea, I wouldn't have recognized the uniform but, it would only make sense that it was a Russian soldier.
        • Viend, on 05/09/2008, -2/+3Why would that? After seeing the statue's head as Adolf Hitler's it was clear that the man is Soviet.
        • Zipko, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1^ But to make that connection between VE day and the Soviets means you'd have to know it was the Russians that liberated Berlin. I'd be willing to give people the benefit of the doubt on that one. But anyone who can't recognize that head as Hitler hasn't been out enough.
        • kewlito, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1It's easier if you've ever played Call Of Duty.
    • N1tro, on 05/09/2008, -2/+35Nice, i looked at the EXIF data and saw nothing of the sort.
    • danconia, on 05/09/2008, -1/+9Yeah I was expecting it to be a little more interesting. Not that the fall of Berlin isn't noteworthy in itself but it's pretty easy to tell that it's Hitler's (statue) head he's holding.
    • elipabst, on 05/09/2008, -6/+214Wrong. This is actually a trick question. It's from the future. That's Dick Cheney's great grandson walking away from what's left of the US capitol building. In his arms he holds the cryogenically preserved head of Adolf Hitler which he plans to attach to a robot body in order to help him complete his goal of world domination.
      • Chordinator, on 05/09/2008, -1/+33You know, you could make a fortune with that almanac..
      • flogistan, on 05/09/2008, -3/+8Now that made me laugh.
      • Pritchard, on 05/09/2008, -5/+4Oh god. That was beautiful. Sounds like something I'd write if I could have managed to think of it.
      • chapwag1001, on 05/09/2008, -1/+0Ha...I don't think I could make up that story even if I tried...I would start making it too obvious a joke =]
      • Tommyhawk, on 05/09/2008, -1/+2I was kind of hoping that all of Cheney's offspring would turn gay and not procreate. Darn.
      • alieneggsac, on 05/10/2008, -0/+1Oh how did you know about my evil plan?
    • digitdean, on 05/09/2008, -2/+51Huh. I used to bullseye whomp rats back home in my T-34.
      • SGTS3XY, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3I love you.
      • hendoz, on 05/09/2008, -0/+4I like this reply better than the others that got dugg up for comedy responses. I actually laughed out loud!
    • druakara, on 05/09/2008, -16/+1No you fools! He's got a cane in his hand! Jeeze - I thought THAT was obvious.

      - my comments are not usually taken well, but I find them amusing. If ya don't like it, ***** off. -
    • Homerr, on 05/09/2008, -4/+47The tank is a JS-II, not at T-34.
      http://www.battlefield.ru/index.php?option=com_con ...
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iosif_Stalin_tank
      At the extreme right is a ZiS-3 76.2mm divisional gun.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZiS-3
      More photos: http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.ph ...
      • flogistan, on 05/09/2008, -1/+7You are a visual identification god. Well done. I never think of them having anything but the t-34.
      • BetterOffEd, on 05/09/2008, -0/+6Yeah—your attention to detail is downright SCARY.

        Thanks for the pics by the way. Amazing stuff.

        .
      • metamorfoza, on 05/09/2008, -1/+5Interestingly enough, whilst I also believe that is not a T-34 but JS I still don't understand why the first commenter got buried down to oblivion for pointing out almost the same thing (that tank on photo is not T-34)

        again digg shows its ugly side a.k.a. group thinking.
        • Abomonog, on 05/09/2008, -0/+4Because everyone at that point was still in denial about the tank.
      • punkcat, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3i dont see that there is enough info to correctly judge the tank. the JS and t-34 used the same chasis according to links provided.
        barrel could be a defining factor but again its not so clear. whats making you say JS over t-34?
      • nydwarf, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1I got most of the points as well but I thought that the tank was a T34, but then again it is out of focus! :D
    • ModernChem, on 05/09/2008, -18/+4and you need to get laid
      • ZubZerp, on 05/09/2008, -2/+12Lol, I know right? Because his basic knowledge of World War II automatically makes him extremely unappealing to women.
      • Kzoo, on 05/09/2008, -0/+7I'm guessing then you wouldn't think there was anything wrong with the kids I overheard in the library the other day discovering the existence of Turkey for the first time... 16-17 year olds...
        • Viend, on 05/09/2008, -1/+2I could pinpoint on the map every country in Europe and Asia by 12. Don't generalise just because the teens around your area are idiots.
    • ECas123, on 05/09/2008, -3/+23Hitler head? where? all I see is that guy holding a Charlie Chaplin head...
    • mattes5, on 05/09/2008, -16/+11Also let it be noted this man was killed after this for smiling.

      In Soviet Russia head steals you
      • Rudy165, on 05/09/2008, -0/+4congrats on being the first person ever on digg to make the soviet russia joke.
        • mattes5, on 05/09/2008, -2/+2haha come on soviet russia jokes never get old
          • flogistan, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1In soviet russia old joke makes you.
    • Wisgary, on 05/09/2008, -3/+13This is Ryu dressed as an American soldier shortly after decapitating Sagat.
      • punkcat, on 05/09/2008, -0/+4dressed as an american underneath the russian uniform?
    • VII7, on 05/09/2008, -1/+3OH OH I SEE SMOKE
    • roosterjm2k2, on 05/09/2008, -2/+1So am I the only one that didn't see the cane at first and thought he was flipping a very akward looking bird?
    • celkin, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2Dig caught me off guard. We take math and computer science for granted, but now history?
    • x1soundgarden1x, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1Triple bonus points for naming the tank. Everything else was obvious, but that was curve-settingly impressive. A+
    • mGARANDEUR1, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1A t-34 would be a good guess considering the person in the picture is a russian.
  • macwisdom, on 05/09/2008, -68/+201945 Germany Berlin , A Soviet solider is holding the head of Adolph Hitler ( from a statue unfortunately ) The tank in the background is a T-34.
    • cleric85, on 05/09/2008, -21/+3I don't know why you are getting dug down, you were right, you should get points, and bonus points for the T-34.
      • thenumber8, on 05/09/2008, -3/+11because he already said the exact same thing once, all he added in the duplicate post was the year, which could have been done more tactfully.
    • Wartz, on 05/09/2008, -2/+7not a t-34
      • flogistan, on 05/09/2008, -4/+3If it's not a t-34, what is it? An abandoned panzer or tiger? I really don't know them well enough. I'm pretty sure it's not one of ours. Were we even there yet?
    • UltraMegaFilms, on 05/09/2008, -3/+6I dug down because his screen name has mac in it.
    • danger127, on 05/09/2008, -1/+4macwisdom is an oxymoron
  • jaobedoza, on 05/09/2008, -34/+6lol! are you a history buff or something
    • lazycat, on 05/09/2008, -0/+35“He who forgets history is condemned to relive it”. :)
    • macwisdom, on 05/09/2008, -0/+23My wife tells me I am. I say I know a little about a lot of things but the net sum is zero.
      • thenumber8, on 05/09/2008, -1/+6a good attitude to take – humbling.
      • bitterbug, on 05/09/2008, -1/+12Jack of all trades, master of none :)
        I'm the same way. Masses of trivia that make people I know ask where the hell I found things out, but sometimes simple things like auto maintenance leave me scratching my head.
    • Klowner, on 05/09/2008, -0/+4says the guy with a Freemasons icon..
      • yayintertubes, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1That's just means he's a *****.
  • discojon, on 05/09/2008, -24/+9I wish I had that head, as it is prob worth over $20,000 now
    • kaelyiesta, on 05/09/2008, -2/+29I would estimate millions.
      • flogistan, on 05/09/2008, -1/+2Yes, millions. I wonder where it is? Surely they wouldn't have let him keep that.
        • Abomonog, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2They probably did let him keep it and the head eventually ended up in the trash when the fellow died.
    • trotskyist, on 05/09/2008, -0/+20I'm curious as to where you got $20,000 from.
      • pseudostatik, on 05/09/2008, -1/+4He must have been cryogenically frozen since the 70s. Hence the discojon's disco predilection.
        *One Meeellion Dollars!*
      • Ryan166, on 05/09/2008, -0/+9$20,000 is the going price for the head of a statue of a 20th century dictator. Check the completed listings on Ebay.
  • luke16, on 05/09/2008, -27/+1086This photo was made in 2008, Russia. The man is smiling because he just won the lottery and decided to spend it all on World War II memorabilia. He is holding the brassed head of his dad. He was so happy that he won the lottery, he dug him up, and had it brassed.
  • BohicaTwentyTwo, on 05/09/2008, -8/+120http://digg.com/users/BohicaTwentyTwo/gallery/3621 ...
  • twertyto, on 05/09/2008, -41/+1*provides comment*
    • cvxdes1, on 05/09/2008, -0/+32Things like that only work once.
      Well maybe twice. But only if the conditions are permitting, unlike the current ones.
      • tippmann1, on 05/09/2008, -10/+4*provides comment on this comment commenting on the parent comments fail*
  • spammishking, on 05/09/2008, -20/+4This photo is subtitled: I'm smarter than you -- na, na na na na, na
  • Darren05, on 05/09/2008, -9/+208He's laughing at what the other soldiers are doing to the body.
    • grimward, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2`But one just has to love his smile though :D
  • ccm1120, on 05/09/2008, -17/+17This is a picture of a Russian soldier after the Red Army captured Berlin (hence the smile) towards the end of World War Two in 1945. He is holding in his right hand the head of an Adolf Hitler statue. And in his left hand, he's hold a cane....or maybe not, I don't know. Damn it! I fail.
    • shannobn, on 05/09/2008, -2/+2Non-dumbed down version:
      A Russian soldier after the Red Army captured Berlin.
    • mwalker05, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1its probably a rifle
  • vudicarus, on 05/09/2008, -6/+382He's thinking of turtles. They're something he likes.
    • whataboutdave, on 05/09/2008, -0/+25Historical turtles.
    • dvsbastard, on 05/09/2008, -3/+17"мне черепахи нравитесь..."
      • suprdaddy, on 05/09/2008, -0/+7Online translator ftl. You said "me turtles likes".
        • dvsbastard, on 05/09/2008, -2/+12I hope you didn't use an online translator to work that out... otherwise I don't think this thread could withstand that much irony...
        • Matt174e, on 05/09/2008, -2/+7That's not irony.
      • lowsh, on 05/09/2008, -6/+0I hate when people pretend to know languages with translators. you didn't even conjugate the verb right- even if you were utilizing its free SVO word order you did that wrong as its completely awkward but you do have the right case for мне
        • dvsbastard, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3Also, the reason I watch foreign films with subtitles is because I like to "pretend" I understand them...

          Идиот
        • kawasaki377, on 05/09/2008, -0/+8Maybe the guy in the picture should be holding your head, you grammar Nazi.
      • wallitron, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2Wrong, it's Russian for "In Soviet Russia, the turtles like you!!"
      • Mizzy, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1мне черепахи нравиться*
    • Jaitls, on 05/09/2008, -2/+5i hope that says "I like turtles"!
    • doritoclock, on 05/09/2008, -3/+4OM NOM NOM NOM.
    • resipsa, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1That should be (in transliteration): mne cherepaxi nravjatcja. That's the "backwards 'R'," instead of the 'e.' The letter used made the verb the singluar when it should be plural (it translates literally as "turtles pleases me"). Plus, your word order is not standard, thus putting the emphasis on "like." That's not an error, just abnormal.
    • mugicha, on 05/10/2008, -0/+1You're a great zombie.
  • ccm1120, on 05/09/2008, -19/+4This is a picture of a Russian soldier after the Red Army captured Berlin towards the end of World War Two in 1945. He is holding in his right hand the head of an Adolf Hitler statue. And in his left hand, he's hold a cane....or maybe not, I don't know. Damn it! I fail.
  • streetsim, on 05/09/2008, -15/+9it's Tobey Maguire realizing how much spiderman 3 made him look flamboyant. He's holding a head to show that he has gotten head. this picture was taken in January in a museum with a huge photograph of berlin.
    • igneouz, on 05/09/2008, -2/+1buried for the inadequate use of the world flamboyant....thats my favorite word
  • Nhmarine, on 05/09/2008, -5/+80I want a souvenier..... A german helmet? nah...... A german medal? nah.... I know! Hitlers Head!
  • noturbest, on 05/09/2008, -14/+71who are you and why the hell are you testing me about history?
    • SemiSarcastic, on 05/09/2008, -8/+5Trust me it's good for you.
    • sjaxso, on 05/09/2008, -3/+15I'm with you dude. It's all elitist, like "I know what this is about..."
      I know too, but I'm not gonna quiz people on it. Should start asking him about about movements in Russian deconstructivism eh?.
    • geoman2k, on 05/09/2008, -1/+1no *****. and the only real way to get this right is to a) know what russion wwII uniforms looked like b)know what a t-34 looks like c) be able to tell that that ***** statue head is suppose to resemble hitler.
      so i guess what i'm saying is that anyone who played call of duty 2 could figure this one out. doesn't say anything about the person's understanding of history.
  • Teradoc, on 05/09/2008, -1/+18For real points, name the building in the background!
    This coming from a history major who lived in Berlin for a month studying the city: Looks like The Reichstag, but its a bit blurry
    • eggraid, on 05/09/2008, -5/+11Of course you mean the Bundestag... the Reichstag never existed
      • FutureSandwhich, on 05/09/2008, -0/+11And two plus two is five.
      • Samsong, on 05/09/2008, -0/+13History Lesson:
        Hitler had the Reichstag burned, then blamed the commies for it and used it as an excuse to persecute them and pass the Enabling Act.
        Yay history! The AP Euro test is tomorrow!
        • FuckXboxx, on 05/09/2008, -17/+4Same thing Bush Admin did with 9/11 and terrorism!
        • inobla, on 05/09/2008, -4/+3***** fails at recent history.
          • FuckXboxx, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1Well then who was responsible for 9/11? Bin Laden's wanted poster mentions nothing of 9/11 because, according the FBI, "there is no evidence that ties him to 9/11."

            Even the MSM has picked up on the fact that the 9/11 commission was a total white wash. Phillip Zelikow was a whitehouse insider and he had the final say on everything that went into the report.

            Why was the DC Madam assassinated because of her "9/11 information?" Because she was going to reveal Dick Cheney had prior information...among others...

            Don't be so blind. Just because the mainstream media says something doesn't make it true. Learn to think for yourself.
        • FutureSandwhich, on 05/09/2008, -1/+2K well what about Northwoods?
        • solid12345, on 05/09/2008, -1/+4There is no proof the Nazis ever burned down the Reichstag either, there is still considerable evidence a nut anarchist/communist did do it but the Nazis conveniently used it as leverage to get their way.
        • HenvY, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3Yep, solid is right. If you talk in such absolutes even if there is no evidence to back them up, I hope you fail.
          • Samsong, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1Can't you be a dick to my teacher, instead of me?
      • kevinpuj, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2Actually, the Reichstag refers to the building and the Bundestag refers to the German parliament.
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_building
    • jacobmayeux, on 05/09/2008, -0/+0. . .it almost looks like the Frauenkirche in Dresden. . .but I believe it took way more damage than that
  • protodon, on 05/09/2008, -5/+19Yesterday.
    Medication.
    His siamese twin.
  • billwild, on 05/09/2008, -9/+451He's smiling cause he just got some head.
  • dvsbastard, on 05/09/2008, -4/+70Digg needs a "Quiz" section...
    • unknownoliver, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1Yeah, that'd be great. All we need is four hundred posts a day of "What will Rick Astley never do?"
  • HaloZero, on 05/09/2008, -7/+2I don't think that's the Reichstag.
  • XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, on 05/09/2008, -22/+7Do more of these.
    • fatlip, on 05/09/2008, -1/+14^ do less of these
      • chnkymnky700, on 05/09/2008, -5/+2Do none of these ^
      • Noureddin, on 05/09/2008, -2/+1I'm assuming XXXXXXXXXXXXXX's comment was dugg down cause he has ron paul as his avatar...
        Freaking nazi hating bastards. =/
      • celkin, on 05/09/2008, -1/+1Do just the right amount of these^^^
    • EwMo, on 05/09/2008, -1/+2Do work.
  • davidjunit, on 05/09/2008, -6/+69'Twas 28 years and 2 months ago, The Telltale Head was the episode. Bartholomew Simpson removes the head from the Jebediah Springfield statue.
    • celkin, on 05/09/2008, -0/+228 years? I'm pretty sure The Simpsons wasn't around in 1980.
  • smb3d, on 05/09/2008, -2/+11I wonder were that head is now. Probably hidden away in someones attic
    • AzraDarkness, on 05/09/2008, -0/+5bowling ball...
    • TheSalmonThief, on 05/09/2008, -0/+6I, sir, happen to like attics, so you can keep all negative comments concerning them to yourself.
    • j00b, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2I'm not 100% positive but there is a head of Hilter taken off a statue at the Wright Patterson Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio and this might be it. The last time I saw it a couple of years ago it had 2 or 3 bullet holes in it.
  • Birukun, on 05/09/2008, -14/+3That is Lenin's head from a statue - look at that mustache. NOT HITLER
    • domomike, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3The statue was made before Hitler's metrosexual grooming days.
    • BertEatsDirt, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2I don't remember Lenin having such an abundance of hair on the top of his head
    • feliks2, on 05/09/2008, -0/+4Are you ok in the head? Do you even know what Lenin looked like?
    • chapwag1001, on 05/09/2008, -0/+0You seem to be incorrect. First off lenin didn't have close to that much hair and second hitler almost ALWAYS had his hair slicked off to the side like the statue is. Look here for pictures of Lenin maybe to revive your memory of his face. http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Lenin&um=1 ...
  • drlha, on 05/09/2008, -17/+130He's laughing because someone just told him "You know in 50 years Americans are going to be taking the credit for winning this war!"
    • dustin32, on 05/09/2008, -31/+19We definitely contributed. D-Day. Hiroshima. And the like. And we fought for freedom for other countries. Not like Russia, who just wanted to make everybody Communist.
      • gal3on64, on 05/09/2008, -9/+17Russia didn't force anybody to be communist.
        ex. did you ever see the ussr in iraq or some third world country "spreading" communism?
        • Diderotten, on 05/09/2008, -2/+16The soviet army invaded afghanistan in 1978. Go ahead and wikipedia it. Or a textbook. Whatever suits you.
          • BabyWookie, on 05/09/2008, -3/+4Yes, they did. They also had a whole of a lot more reasons to than he did with Iraq.
          • BabyWookie, on 05/09/2008, -2/+7"he did with Iraq" = we did with Iraq.

            Any way, I meant to say that Afghanistan was right on the Soviet border and the Communist dictator there was starting to go bonkers, Mao/Pol Pot style and ***** off the Soviets, who were a lot more moderate at that time. The Soviets were worried that he would ***** the country up and would then be overthrown by Muslim extremists, who would then spread their Muslim extremism to the neighboring Soviet republics, which were populated by Muslims.
        • JackGrozny, on 05/09/2008, -4/+20The Soviets sent in troops in response to the Afghan government's request for military assistance to combat dangerous fundamentalist terrorists. The terrorists who beheaded a Russian diplomat and his family for teaching Muslim women to read and write. The fundamentalists who would get support from the CIA and would eventually become the Taliban.
        • flogistan, on 05/09/2008, -1/+2Prague spring?
        • solid12345, on 05/09/2008, -1/+4Russia didn't force anybody to be communist? Guess you forgot the Hungarian uprising in 1956, or the invasion of Finland in 1938, or them putting down Polish sovereignty?
      • CookieOfFortune, on 05/09/2008, -1/+11yeah, they were in Afghanistan, spreading communism, just as we were spreading democracy, and we won! Beat back those Commies and we lived happily ever after. Oh wait.
        • BabyWookie, on 05/09/2008, -0/+5Afghanistant was already Communist when they invaded. It was just untable, hard-line style of Communism that the Soviets no longer liked at that time.
      • flogistan, on 05/09/2008, -2/+11They had defeated hitler in 43. The nazis were in full retreat before the D-day landing.
        • BabyWookie, on 05/09/2008, -0/+6I'd hate to think what we would have faced in Normady, if all of the best German troops were not on the Eastern Front, trying to stave off the invevitable.
        • unorginalityftw, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1Or Hitler wasn't retarded and actually listened to his Generals.
      • BabyWookie, on 05/09/2008, -0/+8It's USSR, not Russia. Plus, the Eastern Europe was leaning towards Communism even before WW2.
      • MiddleOfNowhere, on 05/09/2008, -0/+19Yes, the United States contributed. And from my historical perspective and knowledge, this was the last time that your country went into a war to literally free countries, bringing democracy and capitalism (two pretty good ideas in my book).
        And as a German living in democratic Germany, I am very, very grateful for this.
        That being said, take your comment about Russia being involved in this war because "they wanted to make everybody Communist" and shove it up your ignorant redneck ass. And when you have done that, read a little history.
        Germany invaded Russia, and the Russians fought back at a death toll you cannot imagine.
        The Soviet Union lost around 27 million people during the war (that's 27,000,000 soldiers and civilians) - nearly half of all World War II casualties.
        So educate yourself before spouting such nonsense about "We had the better reasons to send our guys in".
        (Post-war history is another story.)
        • Socrates2, on 05/09/2008, -3/+4Did Hitler's military really have the power to obliterate 27 million Soviets? How many of the 27 million died as a result of Stalin's purges?
        • unorginalityftw, on 05/09/2008, -1/+5Yes, he did have the power. See, Russia likes sending waves upon waves of their soldiers into MG lines.

          Doesn't end too well.

          Then again, the political purges killing most of his commanders probably contributed to that.
          • Socrates2, on 05/10/2008, -0/+0Also, how accurate is the 27 million figure? It stretches one's credulity to believe that the Soviets were stupid enough to send waves after waves of their soldiers to be massacred so easily by the Germans.
      • ghank, on 05/09/2008, -2/+2"Not like Russia, who just wanted to make everybody Communist."
        And now it's 'Merica, just trying to make everybody a Democracy. So really, whats the difference.
    • j0c1f3r, on 05/09/2008, -9/+12ahahahahaha.....best answer ever.....lol

      oh and dustin....ur an idiot
    • flogistan, on 05/09/2008, -3/+12Me thinks we didn't wait fifty years to obscure the fact that the russians did the lion's share. I swear to god, during the cold war, you'd have thought they weren't even in the war the way they taught it to you.
      • dopplerdog, on 05/09/2008, -0/+8The Russians were in the war? Pics or it didn't happen... oh wait...
    • lamiaconfitor, on 05/09/2008, -3/+2Wait... all the history books I've read so far tell the truth... are we planning on changing it?
      • EtherGnat, on 05/09/2008, -1/+5"all the history books I've read so far tell the truth"

        The truth according to who? History is always dependent upon the observer, even when there is no intent to alter it. . Hell, the police will get five different stories from five witnesses fifteen minutes after a crime happened.
    • mattes5, on 05/09/2008, -9/+6I'm not saying Americans won the war... BUT the red army wasn't ***** before the lend lease act
      • groovechamp30, on 05/09/2008, -1/+4The red army wasn't ***** after, they had to share rifles between two soldiers. Once the guy with the gun was shot, the other guy would pick it up and use it. They also sent men with spades against tanks.
        • mattes5, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1Yeah I think that was before thoe? Idk ... wtf did everyone digg me down.
    • solid12345, on 05/09/2008, -6/+11When did the USSR start taking credit for liberating Europe? Last time I checked they started WW2 TOGETHER with the Nazis by carving up Poland.
      • drlha, on 05/09/2008, -0/+8The only people who take single handed credit for winning WWII are dumb Americans (I'm not calling Americans dumb, I mean the dumb ones make this claim), of course everyone else knows it was a group effort, but you'll never hear a Russian say "You'd be speaking German if we didn't save your asses in WWII".
  • mrtdot, on 05/09/2008, -7/+8Soviets in Berlin 1945, the Reichstag in the background...
    • Wartz, on 05/09/2008, -4/+3the Reichstag was burned by Hitler before the war.
      • solid12345, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3Nobody knows who burned it honestly, it just becomes "easy" to blame the Nazis after all the horrible ***** they did afterwards.
    • JackGrozny, on 05/09/2008, -1/+4There was a fire, it wasn't burnt to the ground. It still exists to this day.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_building
      • celticspringers, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2Yes. Its the Reichstag in the background. You can see the dome in the top left. It is still the Parliament for the Federal German government. The beautiful glass dome that now exists was built by Sir Norman Foster.
      • adnams, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1you mean it burnt for hours and the DIDNT collapse at free fall speed??? (couldnt resist)
  • Janizzary, on 05/09/2008, -1/+27Wouldn't it be interesting if someone found that head in present times? Who knows -- maybe, it's in a warehouse somewhere...with The Ark of The Covenant...
    • 4UIDigg, on 05/09/2008, -2/+1I don't care where that ugly head is right now, but I hope it is not next to the Ark of the Covenant, even if there is/was such an ark
  • Birukun, on 05/09/2008, -11/+5Never mind - I just notice the HITLER COMB OVER
  • galvo, on 05/09/2008, -3/+11It's actually one of those walls with a hole cut out for your face to stick through. That's why he's smiling.
  • SemiSarcastic, on 05/09/2008, -2/+19"hey everybody! We're all getting laid!"
    • Velnich, on 05/09/2008, -0/+4By the legions of women hiding in the rubble no doubt.
    • Irlande, on 05/09/2008, -0/+2"...whether they like it or not!"
  • Ghostsfp, on 05/09/2008, -3/+19That photo was taken last thursday
  • RSS14, on 05/09/2008, -4/+21I couldn't think of a Soviet Russia joke . . . sorry.
    • farboo, on 05/09/2008, -3/+50In Soviet Russia, joke thinks of YOU!
      • ricemonster, on 05/09/2008, -0/+4Joke... always thinking of others.
    • heucuva, on 05/09/2008, -6/+1In Soviet Russia, Americans win war!

      *Raucous laughter ensues*
    • darzeecompany, on 05/09/2008, -2/+2In Soviet Russia, Hitler statue decapitates you!
    • falafelkiosken, on 05/09/2008, -1/+1In Soviet Russia, photos take YOU!
    • salvadorwii, on 05/09/2008, -1/+1In Soviet Russia, basic knowledge of history requires you!
    • dicknuts, on 05/10/2008, -0/+1Good because that ***** isn't funny.
  • centran, on 05/09/2008, -4/+27That is a picture of the aftermath of the World Zombie War. The only way to defeat them was to decapitate the head or cause severe brain trauma.
    Humans won... for now.
  • ironchef31, on 05/09/2008, -4/+22He's a Russian soldier. Farm boy from the Ural Mountins that went to town on a weekend pass and got a little head.
    • MysticSavage, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1Well played, sir...well played.
  • AmericanGunner, on 05/09/2008, -7/+7.....*After description of soldier* AND thats a T-34 tank.....yeah i played call of duty also fellas.
  • homefly, on 05/09/2008, -1/+6could some one plz fill me in i fall to see the significance of the photo beyond what is immediately evident in the picture. surly there is something more to this for it to have made the front page.
    ---and dont call me surly
    • TheDHC, on 05/09/2008, -1/+6sillier things have made the front page, this is a welcome relief.
    • FatLoser, on 05/09/2008, -6/+4Diggers flexing their e-Peens.
      You know, comments and stories calling Diggers stupid get dugg because everybody thinks it's the rest of the bunch that is stupid, and by digging they are proving their superiority. That's why my comment will be dugg.
      • FatLoser, on 05/09/2008, -3/+2(Actually they will bury it, but they won't realize they played right into my hand until after they've already buried it, and this comment will serve as a searing reminder of their idiocy)
    • XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, on 05/09/2008, -2/+1surly you can't be serious
    • JackGrozny, on 05/09/2008, -1/+1Today's the anniversary of the capitulation of Nazi Germany. Seems fitting to me.
    • liljay2k, on 05/09/2008, -2/+1I'm doing everything I can... and stop calling me Shirley.
    • orlyfactor, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1You can tell me, I'm a doctor.
    • JoeSK, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1Because Americans are surprisingly ignorant of world geography, history, and culture. Anything outside of the US of A doesn't exist in many American's eyes. Not bashing my own country, just stating what I see being proven true time and time again.

      So as obvious as this photo's elements are; there are plenty of people who couldn't even begin guessing an answer.
  • explodingonion, on 05/09/2008, -5/+0Hmm... I never thought digg could help me study for tomorrow's AP US History Exam. I guess all the time I've spent here this week when I could've been studying was useful after all.
  • farboo, on 05/09/2008, -1/+3He's saying, "Moscow or bust!"
  • salweem, on 05/09/2008, -1/+10Happy V-E Day!
  • pershingdriver, on 05/09/2008, -2/+7I think the tank in the back ground is an IS-2 the exhaust and road wheels are wrong for it to be a T34/85 and the hatch that is open is too small and the wrong shape.
  • FuckXboxx, on 05/09/2008, -5/+8He's proud to be, whom historical reflects as, the world's most bad ass pimp. Born in 1922, he wears Hitler's brass head as bling and uses his cane to collect his cash. He's smiling, because he just had to choke a bitch.
  • circaxxxx, on 05/09/2008, -1/+2if you answer correctly in a comment after someone already has, you get invisible highfives :]
  • TheMooCow, on 05/09/2008, -9/+141) Get Hitler's head
    2) ????
    3) Profit
    • MickJT, on 05/09/2008, -0/+4I think 2 is pretty obvious, infact 2 can be skipped.
    • caeser5786, on 05/09/2008, -0/+3profit is an enemy of the proletariat comrad!
    • fabescore, on 05/09/2008, -0/+0What's Phase 2?.......Phase 3 is Profit!
  • D14BL0, on 05/09/2008, -2/+12That is one awesome jacket.

    Too bad you'd look like a fool wearing one of those awesome things these days.
    • MasterGrief, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1The Soviet cold-weather dress looked so cool, man.
  • JoshuaLowe, on 05/09/2008, -1/+26This is like a game of Clue.

    A Soviet soldier.
    At the Reichstag.
    With the brass Hitler bust.

    Or maybe it was Professor Plum.
  • SpectreFire, on 05/09/2008, -3/+2I love his smile.

    "Tee hee!!!!!"
    • jjbud, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1not surprising.... I would smile the same if I just got head.
  • ntcrawler, on 05/09/2008, -1/+8The building in the background is the Reichstag building in Berlin, which houses Germany's parliament. It's more famous for the picture of Soldiers from Soviet Russia flying the hammer and sickle flag after the fall of Berlin in WWII:

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9 ...

    In fact judging from the perspective the picture linked above is looking down the street of the picture of your soldier holding the statue of Hitler's head. BTW, anyone check to see if it's available on Ebay? :D
    • leonardutah, on 05/09/2008, -0/+1That was the best part of CoD. Ahh memories.
  • flogistan, on 05/09/2008, -4/+4Man, if that guys family is still alive, he could make a killing on ebay. Stalin always said hitler gave good head.
    • chapwag1001, on 05/09/2008, -0/+0I can assure you that wouldn't auction off on ebay, probably at a physical auction. But then again a lot of things have been sold on ebay so I don't know...
    • tehhowch, on 05/09/2008, -0/+0Not to mention the Nigerians.
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