The extreme hubris of \u00a0municipal and naval officers created difficulties faced by party officials who tried to redefine the traditional Russian past of Sevastopol and conform it to a more acceptable past dictated by the central authority. \u00a0Professor Qualls argues that party members were unable to force conformity among the people of Sevastopol, at least in their traditions, and instead the city held fast to its roots to the motherland. His use of the word \u201cmythmakers\u201d to describe party official designated to re-invent Sevastopol\u2019s past is absolutely applicable because they tried to do exactly that. \u00a0The main idea behind Soviet mythmakers was to create saint-like civilian heroes, who were saved by party intervention, for the people to rally behind. \u00a0Sevastopol\u2019s municipal and naval officers however were instead able to draw on wartime heroes who were attached to a Russian past, which allowed the history of Sevastopol to retain its Russian qualities. \u00a0\u201cHeroism, resistance, and self-sacrifice became synonymous with Sevastopol.\u201d How were the people of Sevastopol able to escape their primordial ascription? \u00a0In my opinion, their reliance on a distinctly Russian past especially during a time of war, as to avoid complications with the Soviets, allowed them to do so.<\/p>\n
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The extreme hubris of \u00a0municipal and naval officers created difficulties faced by party officials who tried to redefine the traditional Russian past of Sevastopol and conform it to a more acceptable past dictated by the central authority. \u00a0Professor Qualls argues … Continue reading