The Russian people lived under a medieval monarchy for over 200 years and later a harsh Stalinism Government. I could see how Vodka could take the "edge off" when leading a dismal/tough life. Alcohol abuse is not a situation exclusive to just the Russian people, it probably still happens today (even in the United States). Homer Simpson and Yogi Berra, two of America's greatest philosophers.
Reminds me of the WC Fields reply when a prohibitions woman confronted him for having a hip flask. "Madam I have the hipflask for medicinal reasons, in case I'm bitten by a snake.......I also carry a snake"
I just bought a lovely stainless hip flask. I don't actually drink that much; I'm just completing my classic gentlemanly wardrobe. LOL Guess I need a snake, too!
"During one of my trips through Afghanistan, we lost our corkscrew--had to live on food and water for several days." He played a professor delivering a temperance lecture in "Tales of Manhattan"--a sequence that was deleted when the movie was released, but was restored on video and can be seen here: ruclips.net/video/KS52onEoLZ8/видео.html
@@ProfessorJayTee I also bought a hip flask but I only have used it once, for Bourbon.. It currently has simple syrup in it because my wife likes her iced tea just slightly sweet, not the overwhelming sweetness that goes with sweet tea here in the south. With the flask she can get it just right. No comments have been made so far. Appropriately the flask has printed on it in large letters, "DEFINITELY NOT A FLASK FULL OF BOOZE"
A local house still has a secret compartment in the living room for stashing illegal booze; the house was designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. And once again, I've presented history I had never heard in school. Prohibition in Russia? I never would have guessed it.
they tried it at least twice - the second time was in the mid- to late-1980s, under Gorbachev. Some people even believe it may have contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union a few years later. Once again, going semi-dry meant lost revenues, just when crude oil - a major Soviet export at the time - collapsed after the boon years of the oil crises - a boon for oil producers, that is ;\ Not so much for consumers.
I think the Red Room at the Amityville house might have been used for the same thing..There is an old belief that spirits are attracted by spirits - the kind in a bottle
@@joshuabessire9169 Thanks for your input but I know how proof works in alcohol but I wanted to make a comment on the unarguable quality of the podcast while incorporating the alcohol proof concept. Thanks for the input though.
Side note: Russia was the first belligerent in a conflict to record deliberate use of electronic warfare when, in 1904, they used their radio transmitters to jam Japanese radio communications correcting naval artillery fire.
It wasn't like super secret high tech. With spark gap radio there was only one channel for everyone to text on. Blah blah blah blah blah. BLAH BLAH BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAHLBAHFGHDFXDXDZXXZFDSGFGHD.
the spelling of "Corea" was due to French spelling conventions due to early French Roman Catholi missionaries After Japan took "Corea" as a colony in 1910, they changed it to be _after_ Japan in alphabetic order, thus "Korea"
@@markrossow6303 No evidence of the spelling "Corea" coming from missionaries. Throughout the 19th century though in English it was spelled Corea. Apparently early explorers found the name to be Goryeo. Now Corean scholars and even politicians are wanting to go back to the "Corea" spelling, both in the North and South. Even better might be to use Choson, which is widely used by Coreans at home and abroad.
There was also an interesting one, around this time period they experimented with a fully circular in shape modern ship. I guess the idea being, you can't cross a T in battle if there is no T but a circle lol
@@MarkVrem what can I say? It seemed to be a well rounded design. Quite revolutionary in fact so Im unsure why it didnt roll out and flood the market...
Yeah, if the bolsheviks didn't take out the tsar, it would've been someone else: Nicholas was so wildly incompetent he'd kind of pissed off the whole country.
The Kamchatca sends her regards from the bottom of the ocean where she belongs. And no, there is no signs of any Japanese torpedo boats nor any English fishing fleets.
Interestingly, in 1858 the Russian government faced a crisis when people boycotted vodka due to an increase in taxes intended to restore the treasury after losses incurred in the Crimean war. In 1859 the Russian army allegedly forced some of the rioters to drink vodka by placing funnels in their mouths and pouring in vodka.
This video came out at the perfect time for me! I'm currently reading October: The Story of the Russian Revolution, and although it's quite comprehensive (for being a narrative retelling), I had no idea prohibition was happening at the time as well! Great video!
the people in us gov. didn't learn anything from prohibition... look at how badly the failed war on drugs has "helped" americans... by giving us the world's largest prison population... i wish people really did learn about history such as this lesson... oh lordy what a better country we would have with equality in freedom instead of equality in oppression...
The reason we have more crime is because we have more prisons... yeah right. Illicit drug dealers should be shot immediately when caught. Its not a solution, but its a good start...
@@beshkodiak He said no such thing. You got the causality reversed. If you don't like drugs, don't do em. Someone else doing them is none of your business.
Story of how Winston Churchill was confronted by his nemesis Lady Astor who shouted at him "winston you are Drunk" To which Churchill replied "I am drunk and you are ugly" "Tomorrow I will be sober and you will still be ugly"
It’s crazy how trying to help one out of his misery causes so much disaster… Alcohol and drugs might be a part of the culture, but it hardly ever makes one a better person, if ever.
As someone who has lived life sandwiched between 2 alcoholics, I couldn’t agree more. Prohibition was a disaster, but we would be so much better off if it had succeeded.
@@lkj974 Prohibition was much more successful in Canada. See Booze by James Gray for a first hand account. Prohibition transformed the lives of thousands of families. Canada never had bone dry prohibition, it was always possible to buy alcohol for home consumption. This practically eliminated moonshining and bootlegging. Bars and liquor stores were closed which cut way down on casual drinking. Men with a drinking problem found it easy to stay sober when they did not have to walk past a dozen saloons on the way home from work.
@Martin “less than few % of drinkers” what does that even mean? 99.9% have no problem? Are you kidding me? About 10% of the population have difficulty controlling their drinking. Many of those people will die a slow, agonizing and shameful death, dragging the hearts of everyone who loves them through the mud. I’m so glad you think “I have a right to express an opinion”. I know first hand what alcoholism does to alcoholics and their families. I sure don’t know what source you are getting your cock eyed statistics from, but they are nonsense. And to put it mildly, you are arrogant and insensitive.
Russia actually managed to do this twice: Gorby had the bright idea to cut the sugar ration to combat moonshine production. Also cut vodka production while he was at it, IIRC.
It becomes unavailable until the government finds a way to profit.Alcohol,weed....in 30 years coke will be legal.Faster,faster Amazon needs those packages faster🤪
Canada flirted with prohibition from the late 1800s through 1948, mostly by province, but nationally from 1918-1920 as a wartime food production measure. Ontario stuck with prohibition from 1916-1927. But Prince Edward Island was dry from 1901-1948. There were still dry counties and towns in the U.S. through the end of the 20th century and there may still be a few.
@@memathews Prohibition was much more successful in Canada because they did not ban alcohol completely. It was possible to buy liquor for home consumption by mail order or through government liquor stores. This practically eliminated bootlegging and moonshining. Bars and private liquor stores were closed. One province had to shut down 25% of the hospital beds because there was so much less sickness when drinking went out.
I’ve never heard of a prohibition that ever had the good effect desired, usually has some sort of violence or rebellion. EDIT: having finished the whole video, I am always astonished that rather than address the reasons why people are driven to drink the answer is “prohibition will solve all the problems!”
Prohibition was much more successful in Canada but Canada never had the bone dry Prohibition of the US. Breweries and distilleries continued to operate and it was possible to buy liquor for home consumption but bars and liquor stores were closed. Drinking was drastically reduced and men who had a problem with alcohol found it much easier to avoid when they did not have to walk past a dozen saloons on the way home from work. Read Booze by James Gray for a first hand account. I believe Prohibition was more successful in the US than is generally believed in doing away with drunkenness and alcoholism but the truth was distorted by gangster movies.
@@mrdanforth3744 The History Guy talked about that in a video about prohibition. The consumption of alcohol in the US now is a lot less than in was before prohibition.
@@mrdanforth3744 of course it worked in Canada! 😂 That does sound genuinely interesting and I am curious. I do notice that rather than halt liquor production completely and make an all out ban, home consumption was allowed, which has a very different effect than declaring an entire nation “dry” and only the rich have the means to stock up before the law goes into effect. That seems to be a recipe for discontent and exacerbates what is often the underlying problems.
@@DarksideBallerina Canada never shut down breweries and distilleries completely. Liquor was available for home consumption and for export, this is why American bootleggers could get supplies from Canada. I live on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Back in the day it was common for Canadian rum runners to buy cases of liquor for export, have it delivered to the local freight yard, load it on a fishing boat or speed boat, sign export documents saying it was bound for Cuba and be back from "Cuba" the next day. All perfectly legal, with no chance of getting in trouble - as long as you were on the Canadian side of the border.
I had a Russian friend in high school. I slept over his house one night. The following morning his mother made us the best breakfast and for the beverage we got a small glass of orange juice and a shot of vodka. Very nice people.
Such a wonderful and thoughtful take on that very important era of dramatic change in Europe. I, personally had not delved that deep. That’s why you are THG. 👍😎🇦🇺
My grandfather who has long since died was a booze runner back in the day. They'd load up Rum in Miami and run it to Chicago. They'd load up a Packard and a Cadillac with Cuban Rum and off they went. Never got caught would have to bribe and pay taxes along the way. He said it was easier to run it to Chicago than NYC, much less of a chance getting caught.
@@GeorgeSemel yeah it took a lot of people to keep those big city speak easy's going up in the north east. During the depression, everyone was on the take looking to make a few bucks.
@@eugenetswong He screwed up and got married, to who would become my grandmother. When the economy improved and prohibition was over, back to work in the construction trade. But there was several hundred bootleggers back then, running up from south Florida. Rum, Whisky, Scotch, coming in from Bermuda, Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, smuggled in to Key West, Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Tampa. Most of it going to the big cities because that's where the money was. Just about everywhere else had no money and stayed in the depression until WWII.
4:30 The Russian “Second Pacific Squadron” (the renamed Baltic Fleet) was commanded by Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky Alexei Alexandrovich Romanov was commander in chief of the navy and a vocal advocate of modernization along Western lines, but never held a command at sea.
Phenomenal, sir. Beyond phenomenal. You remind me of a particular poem found on the grounds of my alma mater: "Ode to Liberty" By Alexander Pushkin Listless Cytherean princess, sing No more. Begone out of my view! But you, great scourge of tsar and king, Proud Muse of Freedom, where are you? Come rip my laurels off. Bring stones And crush this coddled lyre. Let me Sing to the world of Liberty And shame that scum upon the thrones. Reveal to me the noble path Where that exalted Gaul once strode, When you in storied Days of Wrath Inspired in him a dauntless Ode. Now, flighty Fortune's favored knaves, Tremble, O Tyrants of the Earth! But ye: take heed now, know your worth And rise as men, ye fallen slaves! I cannot cast my gaze but see A body flayed, an ankle chained, The useless tears of Slavery, The Law perverted and profaned. Yea, everywhere iniquitous Power in the fog of superstition Ascends: Vainglory's fateful passion, And Slavery's gruesome genius. Heavy on every sovereign head There lies a People's misery, Save where the mighty Law is wed Firmly with holy Liberty, Where their hard shield is spread for all, Where in a Nation's faithful hand Among mere equals in the land The sword can equitably fall To smite transgression from on high With one blow, righteously severe In fingers uncorrupted by Ravenous avarice or fear. O Monarchs, ye are crowned by will And law of Man, not Nature's hand. Though ye above the people stand, Eternal Law stands higher still. But woe betide the commonweal Where it is blithely slumbering, Where Law itself is forced to kneel Before the Masses, or the King. Here is the Man: witness he bears To his forebears’ infamous error And in the storm of recent Terror Laid down royal neck for theirs. King Louis to his death ascends In sight of hushed posterity, His crownless, beaten head he bends: Blood for the block of perfidy. The Law stands mute, the People too. And down the criminal axe-blade flies And lo! A ghastly purple5 lies Upon a Gaul enslaved anew. You autocratic psychopath, You and your throne do I despise! I watch your doom, your children's death With hateful, jubilating eyes. Upon your forehead they descry The People’s mark of true damnation. Stain of the world, shame of creation, Reproach on earth to God on high! When on the dark Neva the star Of midnight makes the water gleam, When carefree eyelids near and far Are overwhelmed with peaceful dream, The poet, roused with intellect, Sees the lone tyrant's statue loom Grimly asleep amid the gloom, The palace now a derelict, And Clio's awesome call he hears Behind those awesome walls of power. Vivid before his sight appears The foul Caligula's last hour. In stars and ribbons he espies Assassins drunk with wine and spite Approaching, furtive in the night With wolfish hearts and brazen eyes. And silent stands the faithless guard, The drawbridge downed without alarm, The gate in dark of night unbarred By treason’s mercenary arm. O shame! O terror of our time! Those Janissary beasts burst in And slash, the Criminal Sovereign Is slaughtered by unholy crime. Henceforward, Monarchs, learn ye well: No punishment, no accolade, No altar and no dungeon cell Can be your steadfast barricade. The first bowed head must be your own Beneath Law's trusty canopy Then Peoples' life and liberty Forevermore shall guard your throne.
Back then, the U.S. nickels had bees drinking vodka on 'em... "Give me 10 bees for a shot of Stoli!" we used to say. I'd hang a potato on my belt, which was the style at the time...
I took an incredibly good History of WW1 and Russian History classes at the University level, but they never mentioned prohibition in Russia! Obviously the History Guy is better than my undergraduate history teachers.
Russia could have short-circuited its people's thirst for vodka by improving their basic living standards, but their moralistic view made them opt to take away one of their few escapes from hopeless misery instead. Even alien zookeepers in charge of an H. sapiens colony would be like WTF NO
Gorbachev also experienced troubles when he raised the price of vodka and limited the time allowed to buy it to the late afternoon. In a few years, the Communists were out of power.
The story of the Russian Baltic fleet beign sent to Japan, and unceremoneously defeated in their first engagement at Tsushima, is by itself a story worth of an episode. Mistaking British fishing trawlers for Japanese torpedo boats is just one of many improbable and frankly ridiculous events of their journey. Though the most improbably has to be that they actually got the fleet to the far east at all, as many critics assumed the old and worn down ships would all sink on the way there.
WOW - I had no idea that Prohibition was other than a US law. I now understand the Russian psyche a little better. Their behavior is a little more understandable. Thanks, History Guy.
Wow - I had no idea that the Imperial Russian government had a monopoly on vodka sales. Grand presentation, History Guy. And I really want a fur hat like the ones worn in the photo that shows beginning at 5:35.
The 2nd pacific squadron (or fleet, depending on the source) probably deserves its own video (even the Kamchatka) because it was a hilarious and tragic comedy of errors. Either way, keep up the great work!
If you have any paint left over from the back wall of the set, please dab a little on the shiny metal hook that’s holding up the bugle. Your OCD fans will thank you and so will I.
AS Chesterton correctly said, society is destroyed by those wishing the freedom to indulge their vices, saved by those wishing the freedom from their vices.
I am not positive which you mean. The shiny object in front of the books is, essentially, a very fancy challenge coin sent to me by the Chief of the Mess of the USS Constitution. The large, round medallion looking object in front of the USS Texas plaque is a US Coast and Geodetic survey benchmark that was sent to me by an employee of the Oklahoma state highway department.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel What a fascinating wunderkammer you have. Maybe you could do a video about some of the contents. I found the one you did about some of your hats really interesting.
You'd think that people who believe in "temperance" and "moderation" would apply that same moderation and merely restrict, rather than outright ban, alcohol.
Ah, the _Kamchatka._ Spotter of fine imaginary Japanese torpedo boats across no fewer than three oceans. And instigator of a friendly fire incident or two. I'm not saying the Russians would have won Tsushima if they'd left _Kamchatka_ behind, but at least the trip would've been more boring.
Worth pointing out that Tsar Nicholas' handling of the war had been so massively inept that calls for his abdication were nearly universal. Even members of his own family wanted him to step down.
When he did sign the abdication papers, he first named his son Alexei his successor, but changed his mind and gave the throne to his brother, Grand Duke Mikhail. He wisely turned down the offer and the Romanov dynasty came to an end.
Great vlog as always! I think Iceland had a beer monopoly until 1987. The reason I remember is they spoke to a man who had made himself a promise that he would not drink beer again until they sold it at the grocery store. He waited some 60 years. Lol!
I live in Pennsylvania, where all distilled alcohol is sold in "State Stores" run by the PA Liquor Control Board. (They call them "Fine Wines and Good Spirits" stores. They HATE being called State Stores.) FYI, they're still collecting a tax meant to rebuild after the Johnstown Flood. (Really.)
@@bcubed72 Thanks. Yes, people who work for governments hate being reminded that they would fail in the open market. Not being American, I had to look up the Johnstown Flood (was pleased to see there was no Kool-Aid involved) ... I hope the rebuilding is coming along nicely! 😎
Drunk soldiers not being able fight? Who knew? I was under the impression that hooch was a generalized requirement for on the line combatants. There's Briton's Naval tradition of daily grog. In this last case it was to dull the panic of battle, from what I've hear and read over the years.
Weed is being legalized across the country,I don't think it's in the best interest of the populace. Just another form of subversion separating the masses from coherent thought.
Grand Duke Alexi was Commander in Chief of the Navy at the time, and largely held responsible for the defeat. You are correct that Zinovy Rozhestvensky commanded the Second Pacific Squadron at the Battle of Tsushima.
I have heard an old Russian saying:
"The church is a mile away, but the road is icy. The tavern is two miles away, but I will walk carefully."
"To alcohol, the cause of and solution to all of life's problems" Homer Simpson
Coffee is the solution! It’s well grounded and the French press into service. The Italians do it espresso and Americans pour over it! 🤣🤣🤣
Well only the Beer Baron can say that.
The Russian people lived under a medieval monarchy for over 200 years and later a harsh Stalinism Government. I could see how Vodka could take the "edge off" when leading a dismal/tough life. Alcohol abuse is not a situation exclusive to just the Russian people, it probably still happens today (even in the United States).
Homer Simpson and Yogi Berra, two of America's greatest philosophers.
nothing like a depressant to chase the blues away... lenny
That about sums it up!!!🙏🥂🍺🍾🍹🍷🍸🤮
Reminds me of the WC Fields reply when a prohibitions woman confronted him for having a hip flask.
"Madam I have the hipflask for medicinal reasons, in case I'm bitten by a snake.......I also carry a snake"
I just bought a lovely stainless hip flask. I don't actually drink that much; I'm just completing my classic gentlemanly wardrobe. LOL Guess I need a snake, too!
"During one of my trips through Afghanistan, we lost our corkscrew--had to live on food and water for several days."
He played a professor delivering a temperance lecture in "Tales of Manhattan"--a sequence that was deleted when the movie was released, but was restored on video and can be seen here: ruclips.net/video/KS52onEoLZ8/видео.html
@@orbyfan very good :-)
@@orbyfan Thanks, Jack. I had never even known about this clip.
@@ProfessorJayTee I also bought a hip flask but I only have used it once, for Bourbon.. It currently has simple syrup in it because my wife likes her iced tea just slightly sweet, not the overwhelming sweetness that goes with sweet tea here in the south. With the flask she can get it just right. No comments have been made so far.
Appropriately the flask has printed on it in large letters, "DEFINITELY NOT A FLASK FULL OF BOOZE"
The fog of war combined with the fog of vodka. Fascinating. I am both stirred and shaken.
🥂
I see what you did there...
@@AlexMartinez-me2yc Pop it!
@@bcubed72 Can I interest you in a dry Martini?
Good one
I learned something new I never knew they had prohibition in Russia
Based off reputation Russia would be just about the last country in the world that you would suspect of instituting prohibition.
and it went about as well as you would expect...
@@stevedietrich8936 I think it just points out the clueless nature of the ruling class
@@dbmail545 ...and your thinking would be absolutely correct!
Had it in Gorbachev's era too.
A local house still has a secret compartment in the living room for stashing illegal booze; the house was designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. And once again, I've presented history I had never heard in school. Prohibition in Russia? I never would have guessed it.
they tried it at least twice - the second time was in the mid- to late-1980s, under Gorbachev. Some people even believe it may have contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union a few years later. Once again, going semi-dry meant lost revenues, just when crude oil - a major Soviet export at the time - collapsed after the boon years of the oil crises - a boon for oil producers, that is ;\ Not so much for consumers.
@@slavkovalsky1671 Yes, when I first clicked on this, I expected to hear about Gorbachev cutting the sugar ration to curb moonshine.
I think the Red Room at the Amityville house might have been used for the same thing..There is an old belief that spirits are attracted by spirits - the kind in a bottle
Russian soldiers: "I don't have a drinking problem. I drink. I get drunk. I fall down. No problem."
Classic WoW humor joke very ebin :DDD
Better than getting shot and then falling down
This episode is 100% proof that THG is a wonderful podcast
You mean 200 proof.
@@joshuabessire9169 Thanks for your input but I know how proof works in alcohol but I wanted to make a comment on the unarguable quality of the podcast while incorporating the alcohol proof concept. Thanks for the input though.
@@tonyk1584 that's the joke, but I agree THG is the best there is for history.
@@tonyk1584 Joshua's joke is better.
@@JarthenGreenmeadow disagree
Side note: Russia was the first belligerent in a conflict to record deliberate use of electronic warfare when, in 1904, they used their radio transmitters to jam Japanese radio communications correcting naval artillery fire.
On the flipside 10years later during opening of WW1 they completely used uncoded messages on the Eastern Front, Germany easily intercepted lol.
Those Russians love to jam... and hack.
@@MarkVrem LOL
@@user-otzlixr Cain - brother of his victim Abel
It wasn't like super secret high tech. With spark gap radio there was only one channel for everyone to text on. Blah blah blah blah blah. BLAH BLAH BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAHLBAHFGHDFXDXDZXXZFDSGFGHD.
Being a lover of maps, I love that Korea was spelt with a "C". Not an expert, but appreciated the old maps and pictures.
One of the old maps in a recent episode led us to a long lost branch of the family -- weird but true! 😎✌🏼
Makes me think of all the Marc's who hate when other people spell their name with a K.
the spelling of "Corea" was due to French spelling conventions due to early French Roman Catholi missionaries
After Japan took "Corea" as a colony in 1910, they changed it to be _after_ Japan in alphabetic order, thus "Korea"
...because "Marc" used to only be a shortened "Marcus"...
@@markrossow6303 No evidence of the spelling "Corea" coming from missionaries. Throughout the 19th century though in English it was spelled Corea. Apparently early explorers found the name to be Goryeo. Now Corean scholars and even politicians are wanting to go back to the "Corea" spelling, both in the North and South. Even better might be to use Choson, which is widely used by Coreans at home and abroad.
Look up Drachinifel for the detailed tale of the second russian fleet. It is honestly hilarious how incompetent the Czars navy was at that time.
There was also an interesting one, around this time period they experimented with a fully circular in shape modern ship. I guess the idea being, you can't cross a T in battle if there is no T but a circle lol
@@MarkVrem what can I say? It seemed to be a well rounded design. Quite revolutionary in fact so Im unsure why it didnt roll out and flood the market...
Yeah, if the bolsheviks didn't take out the tsar, it would've been someone else: Nicholas was so wildly incompetent he'd kind of pissed off the whole country.
@@drewgehringer7813 it's all that aristocratic inbreeding. To put in Monty Python terms.....he was an Upperclass (Royal) Twit.
The Kamchatca sends her regards from the bottom of the ocean where she belongs.
And no, there is no signs of any Japanese torpedo boats nor any English fishing fleets.
However there is a unbroken line of binoculars from St. Petersburg to Tsushima.☺️
I was wondering if anybody was going to mention everyone's favorite ship.
Wait a minute -- I'm confused -- are you saying that printing more money just to keep the masses happy can have bad consequences? Who woulda thought?
Yeah I wonder where all that stimulus check money came from?
It's even easier nowadays, all it takes is a keystroke.
It was for literally the opposite reason of keeping the masses happy
Cue our "stimulus" bills...
hehe, we'll be finding out in a few years. I love how there's a debate whether this inflation is actually real (as in permanent).
"A man must believe in something, I believe I'll have another drink." - W.C. Fields
I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.
@@ZER0ZER0SE7EN I had a friend who used that joke a lot. His drinking gave him a lobotomy and he hasn't worked since he was in his early 30's.
"Water? I never touch the stuff. Fish f--k in it." - W.C. Fields
Just like any addiction the country going through withdrawal would cause a lot of motivated anger
Aye, such as forced withdrawal from power.
That's my armchair historian reasoning for the rise of Hitler, anyways.
Or motivate a lot of caused anger.
Interestingly, in 1858 the Russian government faced a crisis when people boycotted vodka due to an increase in taxes intended to restore the treasury after losses incurred in the Crimean war. In 1859 the Russian army allegedly forced some of the rioters to drink vodka by placing funnels in their mouths and pouring in vodka.
That's kinda funny; how do we end the rioting? We get the rioters hammered.
@@sambeck2510 "Will Riot for Booze."
Why does it seem that historically Russia/the USSR starts out with a good idea, but executes it in the most disastrous way time and time again?
I'm embarrassingly ignorant on Russian history. I know a little, maybe enough to converse but never knew about their prohibition. Thanks History Guy
Revolutions podcast is a great podcast. He's covered this and more.
4:36 what the hell were the Russian navy thinking? Why would there be Japanese torpedo boats in the north sea? Like you said HG pure paranoia.
hey were probably all to drunk to have a clue what was going on.
Was only two times when I would drink, when I was alone or with someone.
Me too.
Only when I’m drunk or sober. 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃
David Link, your comment brings to mind George Thorogood's song, "I Drink Alone" - it's a favorite of mine.
Coffee and The History Guy? Yes please
It all started in Ethiopia.
@@MultiPetercool Lovely place, those old stomping grounds 🐵
@JZ's Best Friend Selassie allowed the Gesha variety to grow in Latin America. It’s my favorite varietal. I’ve been home roasting for over 20 years!
Speaking of coffee, along with a prohibition video, Frederick the Great of Prussia banned coffee.
Because people weren't drinking enough beer!
This video came out at the perfect time for me! I'm currently reading October: The Story of the Russian Revolution, and although it's quite comprehensive (for being a narrative retelling), I had no idea prohibition was happening at the time as well! Great video!
In Soviet Russia, vodka bans _you_
This is truly a fascinating story. I never knew this and never would have even guessed at all of this.
"We shall print that much in paper money. It's all the same to the people."
Sounds familar! I wonder where I've heard that.......are yes ! Quantative Easing. :-)
the people in us gov. didn't learn anything from prohibition... look at how badly the failed war on drugs has "helped" americans... by giving us the world's largest prison population... i wish people really did learn about history such as this lesson... oh lordy what a better country we would have with equality in freedom instead of equality in oppression...
The reason we have more crime is because we have more prisons... yeah right. Illicit drug dealers should be shot immediately when caught. Its not a solution, but its a good start...
@@beshkodiak He said no such thing. You got the causality reversed.
If you don't like drugs, don't do em. Someone else doing them is none of your business.
Luckily 'the war on drugs' isn't a disastrous failure like prohibition was
/s. What a brilliant way to waste the druggie's and the government's money.
@@lizj5740 not to mention lives and non-violent habits
"I don't drink alcohol that often. But when I do, I drink in excess. No, I don't have a problem." the most interesting man in the world.
Probably
"I drink. I get drunk. I fall down. No problem."
The only problem a man can have, is if he runs out of alcohol and that certainly is a problem!
Story of how Winston Churchill was confronted by his nemesis Lady Astor who shouted at him "winston you are Drunk" To which Churchill replied "I am drunk and you are ugly" "Tomorrow I will be sober and you will still be ugly"
One tequila
Two tequila
Three tequila
Floor
It’s crazy how trying to help one out of his misery causes so much disaster…
Alcohol and drugs might be a part of the culture, but it hardly ever makes one a better person, if ever.
As someone who has lived life sandwiched between 2 alcoholics, I couldn’t agree more. Prohibition was a disaster, but we would be so much better off if it had succeeded.
Very true.
@@lkj974 Prohibition was much more successful in Canada. See Booze by James Gray for a first hand account. Prohibition transformed the lives of thousands of families. Canada never had bone dry prohibition, it was always possible to buy alcohol for home consumption. This practically eliminated moonshining and bootlegging. Bars and liquor stores were closed which cut way down on casual drinking. Men with a drinking problem found it easy to stay sober when they did not have to walk past a dozen saloons on the way home from work.
@Martin “less than few % of drinkers” what does that even mean? 99.9% have no problem? Are you kidding me? About 10% of the population have difficulty controlling their drinking. Many of those people will die a slow, agonizing and shameful death, dragging the hearts of everyone who loves them through the mud. I’m so glad you think “I have a right to express an opinion”. I know first hand what alcoholism does to alcoholics and their families. I sure don’t know what source you are getting your cock eyed statistics from, but they are nonsense. And to put it mildly, you are arrogant and insensitive.
Lesson learned: if you ever want to destroy your government, ban alcohol
Russia actually managed to do this twice: Gorby had the bright idea to cut the sugar ration to combat moonshine production. Also cut vodka production while he was at it, IIRC.
Outstanding material. I didn’t know other countries were silly enough to try to stop alcohol
It becomes unavailable until the government finds a way to profit.Alcohol,weed....in 30 years coke will be legal.Faster,faster Amazon needs those packages faster🤪
Canada flirted with prohibition from the late 1800s through 1948, mostly by province, but nationally from 1918-1920 as a wartime food production measure.
Ontario stuck with prohibition from 1916-1927. But Prince Edward Island was dry from 1901-1948. There were still dry counties and towns in the U.S. through the end of the 20th century and there may still be a few.
@@memathews Moore County, Tennessee is dry. The town of Lynchburg is in Moore County; and Lynchburg is the home to the Jack Daniel's Distillery.
@@memathews Prohibition was much more successful in Canada because they did not ban alcohol completely. It was possible to buy liquor for home consumption by mail order or through government liquor stores. This practically eliminated bootlegging and moonshining. Bars and private liquor stores were closed. One province had to shut down 25% of the hospital beds because there was so much less sickness when drinking went out.
"Silly"? It was a great success...just like 'the war on drugs'
The one thing we can always count on is some busy body trying to force their beliefs on others. For their own good of course.
Yeah!
No one's business if I want to drive drunk.
But don't you want "progress"?!?!
@@kerriwilson7732 So if there was not a law against it, you would be drinking and driving. Do you not have any personal responsibility or discipline?
@@Mike10001 No. Now what are you going to do about that?
@@john_smith_john As a society we make a law. If you break the law we segregate you away from society. We call that prison.
I’ve never heard of a prohibition that ever had the good effect desired, usually has some sort of violence or rebellion.
EDIT: having finished the whole video, I am always astonished that rather than address the reasons why people are driven to drink the answer is “prohibition will solve all the problems!”
The USSR collapsed right after Gorbachev's prohibition.
Prohibition was much more successful in Canada but Canada never had the bone dry Prohibition of the US. Breweries and distilleries continued to operate and it was possible to buy liquor for home consumption but bars and liquor stores were closed. Drinking was drastically reduced and men who had a problem with alcohol found it much easier to avoid when they did not have to walk past a dozen saloons on the way home from work.
Read Booze by James Gray for a first hand account. I believe Prohibition was more successful in the US than is generally believed in doing away with drunkenness and alcoholism but the truth was distorted by gangster movies.
@@mrdanforth3744 The History Guy talked about that in a video about prohibition. The consumption of alcohol in the US now is a lot less than in was before prohibition.
@@mrdanforth3744 of course it worked in Canada! 😂 That does sound genuinely interesting and I am curious. I do notice that rather than halt liquor production completely and make an all out ban, home consumption was allowed, which has a very different effect than declaring an entire nation “dry” and only the rich have the means to stock up before the law goes into effect. That seems to be a recipe for discontent and exacerbates what is often the underlying problems.
@@DarksideBallerina Canada never shut down breweries and distilleries completely. Liquor was available for home consumption and for export, this is why American bootleggers could get supplies from Canada. I live on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Back in the day it was common for Canadian rum runners to buy cases of liquor for export, have it delivered to the local freight yard, load it on a fishing boat or speed boat, sign export documents saying it was bound for Cuba and be back from "Cuba" the next day. All perfectly legal, with no chance of getting in trouble - as long as you were on the Canadian side of the border.
I had a Russian friend in high school. I slept over his house one night. The following morning his mother made us the best breakfast and for the beverage we got a small glass of orange juice and a shot of vodka. Very nice people.
Today is my birthday and vodka is my favorite alcohol. Thank you for another great episode! I think I'll have a shot.
Happy Birthday Kyle! 🍸
@@SisterShirley thank you! I think it's turning out well with some unexpected visitors.
Happy birthday, two days ago! Today is my birthday, Cheers!
Wow awesome story
Such a wonderful and thoughtful take on that very important era of dramatic change in Europe.
I, personally had not delved that deep. That’s why you are THG.
👍😎🇦🇺
I'm thirsty all of a sudden...
Prohibition--in regard to any consumer goods--never achieves any good, which is why politicians keep trying it.
Pft...are you suggesting the 'war on drugs' isn't an overwhelming success for humanity?
@@kirkc9643 Among other things, yes.
"In 1914, Czar Nicolas II declared his empire dry..."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!
Whole wheat goodness...
Dark rye and lard? I will pass.
My grandfather who has long since died was a booze runner back in the day. They'd load up Rum in Miami and run it to Chicago. They'd load up a Packard and a Cadillac with Cuban Rum and off they went. Never got caught would have to bribe and pay taxes along the way. He said it was easier to run it to Chicago than NYC, much less of a chance getting caught.
My dad was a bootlegger too. I came late in his life, he was 63 when I was born in 1955. Had a distillery in CT among other things.
@@GeorgeSemel yeah it took a lot of people to keep those big city speak easy's going up in the north east. During the depression, everyone was on the take looking to make a few bucks.
1) How dir he earn money after it was over?
2) Did he ever wish that they kept prohibition, so that he could keep his job?
@@eugenetswong He screwed up and got married, to who would become my grandmother. When the economy improved and prohibition was over, back to work in the construction trade. But there was several hundred bootleggers back then, running up from south Florida. Rum, Whisky, Scotch, coming in from Bermuda, Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, smuggled in to Key West, Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Tampa. Most of it going to the big cities because that's where the money was. Just about everywhere else had no money and stayed in the depression until WWII.
@@TSemasFl that's amazing info. Thanks for sharing.
Back in the Saddle again!
I'll drink 🍸 to that! Mazel Tov.🍻
@Martin Back at you and your health + wealth !
4:30 The Russian “Second Pacific Squadron” (the renamed Baltic Fleet) was commanded by Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky
Alexei Alexandrovich Romanov was commander in chief of the navy and a vocal advocate of modernization along Western lines, but never held a command at sea.
Phenomenal, sir. Beyond phenomenal. You remind me of a particular poem found on the grounds of my alma mater:
"Ode to Liberty"
By Alexander Pushkin
Listless Cytherean princess, sing
No more. Begone out of my view!
But you, great scourge of tsar and king,
Proud Muse of Freedom, where are you?
Come rip my laurels off. Bring stones
And crush this coddled lyre. Let me
Sing to the world of Liberty
And shame that scum upon the thrones.
Reveal to me the noble path
Where that exalted Gaul once strode,
When you in storied Days of Wrath
Inspired in him a dauntless Ode.
Now, flighty Fortune's favored knaves,
Tremble, O Tyrants of the Earth!
But ye: take heed now, know your worth
And rise as men, ye fallen slaves!
I cannot cast my gaze but see
A body flayed, an ankle chained,
The useless tears of Slavery,
The Law perverted and profaned.
Yea, everywhere iniquitous
Power in the fog of superstition
Ascends: Vainglory's fateful passion,
And Slavery's gruesome genius.
Heavy on every sovereign head
There lies a People's misery,
Save where the mighty Law is wed
Firmly with holy Liberty,
Where their hard shield is spread for all,
Where in a Nation's faithful hand
Among mere equals in the land
The sword can equitably fall
To smite transgression from on high
With one blow, righteously severe
In fingers uncorrupted by
Ravenous avarice or fear.
O Monarchs, ye are crowned by will
And law of Man, not Nature's hand.
Though ye above the people stand,
Eternal Law stands higher still.
But woe betide the commonweal
Where it is blithely slumbering,
Where Law itself is forced to kneel
Before the Masses, or the King.
Here is the Man: witness he bears
To his forebears’ infamous error
And in the storm of recent Terror
Laid down royal neck for theirs.
King Louis to his death ascends
In sight of hushed posterity,
His crownless, beaten head he bends:
Blood for the block of perfidy.
The Law stands mute, the People too.
And down the criminal axe-blade flies
And lo! A ghastly purple5 lies
Upon a Gaul enslaved anew.
You autocratic psychopath,
You and your throne do I despise!
I watch your doom, your children's death
With hateful, jubilating eyes.
Upon your forehead they descry
The People’s mark of true damnation.
Stain of the world, shame of creation,
Reproach on earth to God on high!
When on the dark Neva the star
Of midnight makes the water gleam,
When carefree eyelids near and far
Are overwhelmed with peaceful dream,
The poet, roused with intellect,
Sees the lone tyrant's statue loom
Grimly asleep amid the gloom,
The palace now a derelict,
And Clio's awesome call he hears
Behind those awesome walls of power.
Vivid before his sight appears
The foul Caligula's last hour.
In stars and ribbons he espies
Assassins drunk with wine and spite
Approaching, furtive in the night
With wolfish hearts and brazen eyes.
And silent stands the faithless guard,
The drawbridge downed without alarm,
The gate in dark of night unbarred
By treason’s mercenary arm.
O shame! O terror of our time!
Those Janissary beasts burst in
And slash, the Criminal Sovereign
Is slaughtered by unholy crime.
Henceforward, Monarchs, learn ye well:
No punishment, no accolade,
No altar and no dungeon cell
Can be your steadfast barricade.
The first bowed head must be your own
Beneath Law's trusty canopy
Then Peoples' life and liberty
Forevermore shall guard your throne.
“Interesting, very interesting!”…Arte Johnson, Laugh In. Thank you!
Back then, the U.S. nickels had bees drinking vodka on 'em... "Give me 10 bees for a shot of Stoli!" we used to say. I'd hang a potato on my belt, which was the style at the time...
So alcoholic beverage consumption may be an indicator of moral quality of a people; the more consumption, the less virtue.
The hillbillies in my neighborhood call it, "Voka" (They think the 'd' is silent.) Illiteracy worth remembering.
The Russians and booze?
yes, please!
I took an incredibly good History of WW1 and Russian History classes at the University level, but they never mentioned prohibition in Russia! Obviously the History Guy is better than my undergraduate history teachers.
In all of the US and world history courses I have taken over the years, I never realized prohibition was a global movement.
Russia could have short-circuited its people's thirst for vodka by improving their basic living standards, but their moralistic view made them opt to take away one of their few escapes from hopeless misery instead.
Even alien zookeepers in charge of an H. sapiens colony would be like WTF NO
Thank you History guy. This is something which I had never heard of before .
Ah, that law of unintended consequences, she is an unpredictable mistress!
I will have a shot and a tipple for you, fine Sir, thank you for your videos. Love from Australia.
Another great history lesson. Thank you History Guy.
Gorbachev also experienced troubles when he raised the price of vodka and limited the time allowed to buy it to the late afternoon. In a few years, the Communists were out of power.
Printing money leads to inflation? Where have I heard that before? Maybe someone should tell that to our government.
Or several :-)
A dry Russia?
The story of the Russian Baltic fleet beign sent to Japan, and unceremoneously defeated in their first engagement at Tsushima, is by itself a story worth of an episode. Mistaking British fishing trawlers for Japanese torpedo boats is just one of many improbable and frankly ridiculous events of their journey. Though the most improbably has to be that they actually got the fleet to the far east at all, as many critics assumed the old and worn down ships would all sink on the way there.
WOW - I had no idea that Prohibition was other than a US law. I now understand the Russian psyche a little better. Their behavior is a little more understandable. Thanks, History Guy.
Ahhh ! The rest of the story! Thank You , reminds me of Paul Harvey 😀
Wow - I had no idea that the Imperial Russian government had a monopoly on vodka sales. Grand presentation, History Guy. And I really want a fur hat like the ones worn in the photo that shows beginning at 5:35.
Good episode. But I'm super bummed that you are not posting on Rumble anymore. Please restart.
I am an Australian ex military man and I agree that the military can turn a non alcohol drinker into a seasoned drinker in just a few years.
I read several accounts of the Russian Empire's 1914 Prohibition. Good presentation!
The 2nd pacific squadron (or fleet, depending on the source) probably deserves its own video (even the Kamchatka) because it was a hilarious and tragic comedy of errors. Either way, keep up the great work!
ruclips.net/video/iWmdsAGgczs/видео.html
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Thank you, sir.
If you have any paint left over from the back wall of the set, please dab a little on the shiny metal hook that’s holding up the bugle. Your OCD fans will thank you and so will I.
AS Chesterton correctly said, society is destroyed by those wishing the freedom to indulge their vices, saved by those wishing the freedom from their vices.
I like it !
It sounds like AS Chesterton was the same kind of oppressive fool responsible for the disasters that have been the world's attempts at prohibition.
Now that was a great nugget of historical information...on so many levels!
THG, what is that medallion just over your right shoulder? I don't recall seeing it on your shelf prior to this.
I am not positive which you mean. The shiny object in front of the books is, essentially, a very fancy challenge coin sent to me by the Chief of the Mess of the USS Constitution. The large, round medallion looking object in front of the USS Texas plaque is a US Coast and Geodetic survey benchmark that was sent to me by an employee of the Oklahoma state highway department.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Right side, 4th shelf from the top. Hidden by your right shoulder at times.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel What a fascinating wunderkammer you have. Maybe you could do a video about some of the contents. I found the one you did about some of your hats really interesting.
@@stevedietrich8936 that is the one provided by the Chief of the mess aboard USS Constitution.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel 👍🏽
Officers always look odd without a headdress.
Thank you so much for I had no idea ...
Great channel
You'd think that people who believe in "temperance" and "moderation" would apply that same moderation and merely restrict, rather than outright ban, alcohol.
Then again, such people are generally hypocrites, so….
Ah, the _Kamchatka._ Spotter of fine imaginary Japanese torpedo boats across no fewer than three oceans. And instigator of a friendly fire incident or two.
I'm not saying the Russians would have won Tsushima if they'd left _Kamchatka_ behind, but at least the trip would've been more boring.
I can't help thinking that weed might have been helpful
I admit that I have not heard that Russia was dry for a season, although I am not surprised that it ended the way it did.
Really enjoy the the tales U share of History.
Thank U So Much.
Many Blessings to All 🙏 🇺🇸
In Czarist Russia Vodka drinks you!!!
Well I didn't know that people love their alcohol especially when they're poor
Was awoken by a notification but I'm relieved it's the history guy and crew with another great video!
History Guy videos: better than a tornado any day of the week! High praise, indeed...
Worth pointing out that Tsar Nicholas' handling of the war had been so massively inept that calls for his abdication were nearly universal. Even members of his own family wanted him to step down.
When he did sign the abdication papers, he first named his son Alexei his successor, but changed his mind and gave the throne to his brother, Grand Duke Mikhail. He wisely turned down the offer and the Romanov dynasty came to an end.
Great vlog as always! I think Iceland had a beer monopoly until 1987. The reason I remember is they spoke to a man who had made himself a promise that he would not drink beer again until they sold it at the grocery store. He waited some 60 years. Lol!
"Prohibition" may seem futile now but liquor consumption is still controlled by governments in multiple ways
I live in Pennsylvania, where all distilled alcohol is sold in "State Stores" run by the PA Liquor Control Board. (They call them "Fine Wines and Good Spirits" stores. They HATE being called State Stores.)
FYI, they're still collecting a tax meant to rebuild after the Johnstown Flood. (Really.)
@@bcubed72 Thanks. Yes, people who work for governments hate being reminded that they would fail in the open market. Not being American, I had to look up the Johnstown Flood (was pleased to see there was no Kool-Aid involved) ... I hope the rebuilding is coming along nicely! 😎
Drunk soldiers not being able fight? Who knew? I was under the impression that hooch was a generalized requirement for on the line combatants. There's Briton's Naval tradition of daily grog. In this last case it was to dull the panic of battle, from what I've hear and read over the years.
Or easier than raising the living standards of the seamen
Forcing your people to kick off a hard drug cold-turkey: not a good idea.
Forcing your military to do the same: _definitely_ not a good idea.
Physical withdrawal from alcohol addiction is actually more likely to end in death than withdrawal from opiate addiction.
Vodka makes a great paint brush cleaner, too. Interesting story. Thank you.
So many parallels to what is currently happening in this country ..are we heading towards the same results??
Weed is being legalized across the country,I don't think it's in the best interest of the populace. Just another form of subversion separating the masses from coherent thought.
do gooders
That may have been the best yet. A fascinating opportunity to correct some of my historical context. Thank you Mr and Mrs THG.
I love the History Guy!!! Always a fascinating story!
Me drinking vodka is history that definitely does NOT deserve to be remembered.
Amen
The Queen Mary would be a great episode. Long Beach, CA is thinking about sinking her.
Many a time I've sat at Ballast Point and wondered how the Queen Mary ended up in that harbor. It would make a great episode.
I always love "getting away" by watching these videos. Thank you!
Who was leading the Second Pacific Squadron? I thought it was Admiral Rozhentvensky! Not a Ramonov
Grand Duke Alexi was Commander in Chief of the Navy at the time, and largely held responsible for the defeat. You are correct that Zinovy Rozhestvensky commanded the Second Pacific Squadron at the Battle of Tsushima.
1914, tzar bans alcohol. 1917, Russian empire collapsed. 1986, Gorbachev bans alcohol. 1992 Soviet union collapsed
Hey, that was pretty informative, Mr. History Guy!
Alchohol i mean algorithm
Thank you for your time and efforts, you Sirr are a true gem! Cheers!