Airports Quote by Neal Ascherson
“In Moscow, dim and green under the summer rain, columns of armour were waiting in the side-roads off the long avenue from Vnukovo airport. Tanks from the Taman Division stood beneath the dripping trees around Moscow University with their field kitchens and command trucks. This was not a new sight to me: the Soviet tanks had rested like that beneath the trees of the parks in Prague, late in another August twenty-three years before. Now they had invaded and crushed one more country -- their own.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Soviet Story, 1990
The passage describes Soviet tanks stationed in Moscow, recalling similar scenes in Prague, highlighting the paradox of a nation invading itself.
In simple terms: Soviet tanks in Moscow echo past scenes in Prague, showing self‑invasion paradox.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the irony of self‑destructive actions.
Themes
history
military
paradox
nationalism
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
historical
descriptive
When to use this quote
- military parade
- urban landscape
- historical reflection
Key Concepts
imperialism
self‑destruction
memory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recalling past invasions shape our view of current conflicts?
- What does “their own” imply about internal oppression?
A Different Perspective
The description may romanticize war imagery, glossing over human suffering.
