Differences between Poland and Russia

Both have vodka, so where's the difference?

History and current reality

Simple. Polish wódka's nearly 100 proof, Russian is barely 80LOL
Well, their both big lushes. That though's more of an immediate similarity than any real difference.

Stolichnaya Blue Label is 100 proof....................


I'm sure you meant to say they're ;)

I most assuredly did, thank you Pamela! Frankly, I prefer Zima to Stolichnaya, but that's purely personal:-)

Russians drink it more.

This was actually a serious question, because in western Europe, we don't learn much about other countries than Germany, UK, France and the US. The vodka thing was only to show that we know almost nothing about eastern countries.

In every single country in "Western Europe"?

While Poland is moving (in many aspects HAS moved) into what I would think of as modern rights and freedoms, Russia appears to be content to move rapidly in the other direction. Whatever complaints one might have about PL is run, Russia is moving back to being a dictatorship with some pretty rotten ideas about human rights.

For starters Poland is an European Country while Russian is not and never were. Poland has been an old European nation Kingdom on the European continent a power along with Spain, France and Hungary constituting a core of mainland Europe.

Asking about Differences between Poland and Russia is like asking for Differences between France and England.

Interestingly though, except when talking about WW2, Poland is never mentioned in history classes in the west as far as I know. Spain, Britain, France and some other old nations, yes ... Poland, no.

You mean in English speaking countries. There could be several reason for that. Firstly Anglo countries where never interested in this part of Europe and expect say Renaissance they had a vague idea what going on there. Secondly once England became a Protestant country they have been budding their identity in opposition to Catholic countries in that climate some cultural influx or exchange of ideas have been rather stifled. They knew a lot about Prussia and England has been supporting Prussia for a long time, naturally Prussia has been Poland's enemy and has been viewed in the light of Prussian anti-Polish propaganda (Thorn).

Last but not least was the fact that most of 18th century (about 1730) Poland has been Russian protectorate. On the top of it Poland didn't existed as an independent country during XIX century, that century which seen formation and birth of new nations and new states like Italy, Romania and Germany. Also XIX century have been a peek of European imperialism with colonies all over the world. Poland missed all that due to partitions.

once again, what do you mean by "west"? Greece? Finland? Portugal? USA?

The standard definition: European countries on the other side of the former Iron Curtain, plus USA, Canada, Australia and NZ.

So what are you saying?
Well, is early history of Germany taught in Australasia? If Poland history is not taught in history classes about history of Europe on Uni it means that is a poorly prepared and not nonprofessional courses. Anyway lately Universities are mostly interested in propaganda especially on courses classified as Art.

Nie zajmuj, to kość biała!

I am saying that the proud history of Poland might not be recognized as such outside of Poland - referring to your statement that "Poland has been ... a power along with Spain, France and Hungary constituting a core of mainland Europe". Has nothing to do with propaganda in my eyes, but simply with the fact that the British Empire dominated the world for a very long time and almost any other nation outside its realm was ... well ... not really important. IMO, this attitude can still be found in the Anglo-American world to this very day. So to answer your question: almost nobody in Australia or the USA gives a hoot about German, Polish or Japanese history - unless we talk about WW1 and WW2 of course.

The partitions of Poland are mentioned in high school history classes in the United States and the textbooks used often include a famous political cartoon, of the time, depicting three fat and ugly caricatures of the partitioning powers.

OK?Tell me something /i don't know. I mean to say - so what?

Thanks for reposting without the crap, Des. This can't be countrywide, because I know for a fact that there are highschools in CA, OR and WA which do not teach the partitions in their history classes/ curriculum. Where did you go to school? Chicago by any chance?

TheOther


dominated the world except Eurpope, and this means that British Empire has never been a world power

I went to public high school in Southern California and the partitions of Poland were included in the history curriculum.


Are you really sure that you know this for a "fact"?


Polish-Americans live throughout the United States. It isn't just in places wherein they are highly concentrated that Poland is mentioned in history courses. It isn't always lobbying by an ethnic group that gets its ancestral homeland's history included in curricula, and it most certainly isn't the case with respect to Polish history. The partitions of Poland are included in history courses in the USA because they are such blatant cases of the greed and immorality of autocracies. The republic of the United States uses the actions of Prussia, Austro-Hungary, and Russia as negative examples when educating her citizenry.

Does the United States also use the example of Polish expansionism as a case against imperialism?

What about Japan?

My question is legit - just think of Texas and the evolution/creationism debate there. If the lobby is strong enough you can get almost everything into the school books nowadays.


I've heard rumors that there are people out there who have kids in highschool... :)


First world country, but different culture than the "west".

Stop that nonsense.

How else can you explain Poland stretching from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea?

As far as I know a monument in London was erected to the polish king Jan Sobieski who defeated The Turkish army so Poland was at the time very, very important even for the British who are lucky enough to live on the islands, if it weren't for Jan Sobieski would most of Europe be Christian today (Britain included )?

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra
Winston Churchill told King George VI: "It was thanks to Ultra that we won the war."
Sir Harry Hinsley, official historian of British Intelligence in World War II, made a similar assessment about Ultra, saying that it shortened the war "by not less than two years and probably by four years"; and that, in the absence of Ultra, it is uncertain how the war would have ended.

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra
It was the Poles' early start at breaking Enigma, and the continuity of their successful efforts, that enabled the Allies to hit the ground running when World War II broke out.

In 1920 Poland defeated Soviet Russians who were ready to introduce communist system all over Europe, Britain included ( the so called world revolution )

The American war of theindependence aroused much interest in Poland. Pulaski and Kosciuszko were but the most famous of the many Poles who fought in this war and helped win theindependence of the United States.

Indeed the country is very unimportant and if indulge in drinking (especially polish vodka) it may seem even less important

We were talking about history classes in school, RUR.

I understand so Portugal, Greece and Finland have the same culture, "west" culture, wow