most american couldn't place PL on the map if their life depended on it but they surely knew that PL was NOT russia or soviet union.
True, My Polish American friend worked in an American household & the Americans thought Poland was a Middle Eastern country.
Pretty sad an adult would be this stupid.
Most people in the West till the '90's had problem telling Poland apart from Russia.
Alot of people don't even know what Slavic is even. Some people seem to think Polish people are Germanic.
Yes, I have heard some Germans & Brits say that Poland is West Russia.
But, Poland is likely the home to Slavic nations.
Poland has the oldest R1a in Europe. It has been proven the R1a in Poland moved to Russia & Ukraine later.
Also Poland was Poland while all East Slavs were Kievan Rus.
In & Around Poland there is & has been of Slavic diversity.
Like Kashubians,White Croatians, Sorbs, Silesians, Slovinicans, Polabians ect.
With East Slavs there has been more diversity towards Poland. Belarussians, Rusyns, Red Ruthenians, Ukrainians ect.
When, you go towards Russia it is pretty much just Russians. Exept for Cossacks who are more like Ukrainians.
But, it still shows that the Slavic maximum diversity seems to be in Poland.
Yes, South Slavs have diversity too but it is more based on religion than linguistics.