OT: when “The Victors” played in Russia after WWI

Submitted by kyeblue on November 9th, 2018 at 9:57 AM

Complete OT. But I saw this nice story on WJS about American troops sent to Russia to fight Bolshevik right after WWI, and I am amazed how it is profoundly related to the Univ. of Michigan. 

indi_blue

November 9th, 2018 at 10:14 AM ^

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-one-time-american-troops-fought-russians-was-at-the-end-of-world-war-iand-they-lost-1541772001?mod=hp_lead_pos5

The 339th Infantry Regiment was known as Detroit’s Own. Most of the 3,800 car-factory workers, tax attorneys, farm laborers, shopkeepers and other conscripts who filled its ranks hailed from Michigan.

...

As the American soldiers walked down the gangplank, they were greeted by the University of Michigan fight song, “The Victors,” played by the band from the warship USS Olympia.

Hail to the victors valiant

Hail to the conquering heroes

Hail! Hail! To Michigan

The champions of the West!

JDeanAuthor

November 9th, 2018 at 4:11 PM ^

I wish they would have wiped out the Bolsheviks and sent them to their graves.

I've known enough people who lived in Communist Russia who can testify to how horrid and oppressive life was during that time.  Everyone talks about how bad Hitler was, but forget that Lenin and Stalin were just as horrible in their massacre measures. 

UP to LA

November 9th, 2018 at 5:28 PM ^

In probably misplaced earnestness: Bolshevism didn't sound that good in theory, even to a lot of Marx-influenced contemporaries. China Mieville's October is a really fascinating look at the power struggles leading up to and immediately following the Czar's overthrow in St Petersburg, if you're interested in this sort of thing.