‘American Troops’ in Russia Despite Tensions

AS IT IS 2016-07-04 ‘American Troops’ in Russia Despite Tensions

Some Russians enjoy taking part in reenactments of historic¹ military battles.

In Russia, the government often plays up past military victories as a show of national strength.

Recently, one group of Russians gathered in Moscow for a reenactment of the Western Front during World War II.

The Western Front was where the United States, Britain and their allies² battled German-led forces for control of Western Europe.

For the military reenactment, about 100 Russians wore clothing like that worn by American and British soldiers during the war. As the “troops” moved forward, the only way to tell their nationality was when the “soldiers” spoke³ to each other in Russian.

The reenactors worked hard to make their military camp look like the 1940s camps did. Empty cans of food near the campfire had labels similar to those used in the war. Some were for products or companies that no longer exist. Nearby, an olive⁴ green radio played “The While Cliffs of Dover” and other popular songs of 70 years ago.

A man named Alexei played an American soldier during the reenactment. He said the hardest part for him was all the walking.

“Now we're going back,” he said. “That’s the real war. About an hour walking, then a few minutes of fighting, or no fighting at all, and we are going back.”

He and the other Russians recreated historic battles with weapons that look real, but fire plastic pellets. The troops also had realistic-looking grenades and mortar⁵ launchers.

Maxim⁶ Afonin played the part of an American private named Max Garvel. “Reenactment for me it's like a sport. It’s an active sport and some fun with my friends,” he said.

“I don't care about politics, about why Germans are Germans,” he added. “I mean, why Russian guys wear a German uniform. I don't care. It's like a cool game for friends.”

The exercise gave the Russians a chance to use their English language skills.

“If you reenact as a Western soldier, you don’t know what a Western soldier thinks. You don't know how they talk. You learn it,” said Andrei Tuzov. He served as a member of the British force during the re-enactment.

Most reenactors choose to be part of the Soviet⁷ Red Army because it was a sign of loyalty⁸ to Russia. It also was easier. The Red Army clothing doesn’t cost as much as the American or British uniforms. Recreating the western front also means having to order more costly⁹, genuine military equipment.

Need for recruiting¹⁰ allies

In recent years, military tensions between Russia and the West have been rising. Some of the Western troop reenactors found themselves questioned by fellow Russians.

“At work, my colleagues have asked ‘why the American soldier?’” said Andrey Borovoy, who works as a dental technician.

“Well, at the moment the relations between our countries are not very good. But let’s not mix up policy and history,” he said. “History is history. We were allies in [the war].”

Words in This Story

re-enact – v. to repeat or replay the actions of an event

grenade – n. a small bomb that is designed to be thrown by someone or shot from a rifle

mortar – n. a military weapon used to fire shells high into the air at a low speed

label – n. a sign covering a bottle, can or box

uniform – n. a special kind of clothing that is worn by all the members of an organization

genuine – adj. real; true to life

1 historic   

adj.历史上著名的，具有历史意义的

参考例句：

• This is a historic occasion.这是具有重大历史意义的时刻。
• We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。

2 allies   

联盟国，同盟者； 同盟国，同盟者( ally的名词复数 )； 支持者； 盟军

参考例句：

• The allies would fear that they were pawns in a superpower condominium. 这个联盟担心他们会成为超级大国共管的牺牲品。
• A number of the United States' allies had urged him not to take a hasty decision. 美国的一些盟友已力劝他不要急于作决定。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 olive   

n.橄榄，橄榄树，橄榄色；adj.黄绿色的，黄褐色的，橄榄色的

参考例句：

• Have you eaten a kind of fruit called olive?你吃过橄榄这种水果吗？
• She likes olive because It'symbolizes peace.她喜欢橄榄色因为它象征着和平。

5 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

6 maxim   

n.格言，箴言

参考例句：

• Please lay the maxim to your heart.请把此格言记在心里。
• "Waste not,want not" is her favourite maxim.“不浪费则不匮乏”是她喜爱的格言。

7 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

8 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

9 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

10 recruiting   

招聘( recruit的现在分词 )； 吸收某人为新成员； 动员…（提供帮助）； 雇用

参考例句：

• We are recruiting a sales manager with responsibility for the European market. 我们正在招聘负责欧洲市场的销售经理。
• "Hoist the recruiting flag and hungry men will come. “插起招军旗，就有吃粮人。”