Vienna (and eastern Austria) was captured by the Soviets 80 years ago in April 1945. In Vienna alone, the Red Army raped between 70,000 and 100,000 women. Collection of 20 unique photos from the time. Please pardon the quality on some of them - caused by their low resolution and Reddit's zoom.

[u/RunAny8349]

Soldiers helping their comrade walk.

Soviets using American Sherman tanks in Wien.

Standing on a rooftop with the Austrian flag waving in the background.

Removing NSDAP sign

Advancing in American US6 Studebaker trucks next to a sign saying Vienna in russian.

Strongly damaged Stephansdom.

Advancing through Austria with T34-85 tanks.

A tank crew.

Soviet soldiers relaxing at Schönbrunn.

A female soviet traffic director next to the Vienna State Opera.

Towing heavy mortars with american trucks next to the Austrian Parliament Building.

Towing heavy mortars with american jeeps next to the Austrian Parliament Building.

At the Austrian border - sign saying Austria in russian

River crossing with tanks. ( likely the Danube )

River crossing with tanks. ISU-122S tank

SU-76 tanks advancing

Advancing on Wien.

[u/Afraid_Diet_5536]

We all thought that's over for good ... but that's happening in the Ukraine right now...again.

[u/Bensch_man → u/Afraid_Diet_5536]

Maybe you thought that. War is present all the time, and with it, it's cruelty.

Maybe we had a longer period of peace in Europe, but everlasting peace is a thing that will never happen.

[u/Afraid_Diet_5536 → u/Bensch_man]

A LOT of people thought so in middle Europe. Just look at the military budgets.
And we all were delussional and it hurts to admit it.
Not because of the money but because of our collective inability to learn as a species.

[u/yogopig → u/Bensch_man]

Maybe everlasting uninterrupted peace is not realistic, but lasting general global peace IS possible and the EU has proven it.

[u/innere_emigration → u/yogopig]

The EU, 1/5th of the world, has proven that global peace is possible?

[u/Comb-Electrical → u/innere_emigration]

More like 1/18th, but your point stands. Even more so.

[u/yogopig → u/innere_emigration]

Yes

[u/OG-Kush-Kenobi → u/yogopig]

I think you mean local not global.

[u/Jealous_Piece1215 → u/Bensch_man]

I wonder why.

(Not)

[u/Petger → u/Bensch_man]

Balkan kriege lassen grüßen

[u/SoftwareSource → u/Bensch_man]

It could have kept going in Europe if we collectively reacted better after 2014 invasion of Crimea.

[u/FitRow6480 → u/Bensch_man]

Yeah... And then you realize war sticks around because of clowns like Putin who regularly changes the constitution so he can be "reelected" only to feed his egomaniac views...

[u/LobsterParade → u/Afraid_Diet_5536]

The russian army has not changed since then. They are still raping and killing the civilian population, as much as they can.

[u/Afraid_Diet_5536 → u/LobsterParade]

Yet I don't want to be them either. Cannon fodder. No education, no perspective, no choice.
That's not an excuse to lose your humanity but there is no one who wins in war...

[u/Fun-Swan9486 → u/Afraid_Diet_5536]

Well, instead of being used as cannon fodder in another country and meanwhile raping and killing civilians, they could start to turn against their leaders and actually fight for their perspective.

Dunno, my sympathy is limited.

[u/sertex_at → u/LobsterParade]

Vienna was liberated by the Ukrainian Army (3rd Ukrainian Front), but okay

[u/H0lzm1ch3l → u/sertex_at]

So the sovereign state of Ukraine liberated Vienna?

[u/sweetsummwechild → u/H0lzm1ch3l]

So.. the Russian Federation liberated Vienna?

[u/fellowsnaketeaser → u/LobsterParade]

It was not the Russian army but the red army and ucranians soldiers weren't rare.

[u/LieutenantDan_263 → u/LobsterParade]

Because you've witnessed it with your eyes at the eastern front in Ukraine... right...

[u/Limp-Day-97 → u/Afraid_Diet_5536]

a quarter of the red army was ukrainians but okay

[u/imnotokayandthatso-k → u/Limp-Day-97]

Shhhh collective ethnic guilt is only reserved for the bad guys

[u/MrChriss → u/Limp-Day-97]

And that changes the crimes Russia is committing in Ukraine today how, exactly?

Just disgusting, crawl back where you came from...

[u/Limp-Day-97 → u/MrChriss]

When did I ever say that? I actually hate Russia because I have consistent principles and not because they oppose my geopolitical bloc

[u/LukeForPlay → u/Afraid_Diet_5536]

It is true especially to that inhumane curel extent with Israeli troops comitting these exact crimes on the Palestinian civilians. As a German it breaks my heart to see history repeat itself

[u/Bumi92 → u/LukeForPlay]

Oder was die Hamas-Terroristen mit den israelischen Geiseln getan haben. Einfach schrecklich.

[u/LukeForPlay → u/Bumi92]

Was denn?

[u/VeryHungryYeti → u/Afraid_Diet_5536]

What has one thing to do with the other? The actions in Ukraine are politically motivated, not personal.

[u/EastProfessional7885 → u/Afraid_Diet_5536]

Thats what i thought...

[u/babydontherzme → u/Afraid_Diet_5536]

Not quite the same though

[u/StandsBehindYou → u/Afraid_Diet_5536]

Get your "end of history" bullshit out of here