When faced with adversaries with a different culture and history, it’s critical to study and understand their basic cultural and historical assumptions.
It is vital to consider how their backgrounds will lead them to interpret your words and actions — and manage consequences and repercussions.
As a specific example, Russian history has been vastly different from Western history. Western assumptions are not compatible there.
Russia’s is a history of strong, often brutal leaders. It is a history of bloody wars against a wide range of people (Mongols, Poles, Cossacks, Germans, Swedes, Central Asian tribes, and other Russians). It is a history of early defeats, long-suffering endurance, and eventual victories.
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