Person interviewing: Kalina M. Kraft
Person being interviewed: Robert RodriguezDate of Birth: 12/28/42
List of Places Lived at Between 1945 – 19891945 - 1951: Puerto Rico 1951-1952: Brooklyn, New York1952-1954: Manhattan1955-1957: Jamaica1957-1960: Brooklyn, New York1961: Puerto Rico1962-1965: I was in the air force so I lived in Texas and Turkey1966: I was living in St. Angelo, Texas1966-1967: I lived in Brooklyn again1967-1990: Puerto Rico
Date & Time Interviewed: Monday, April 29, 2013 at 5:40 pm
1. What was the first time
you remember hearing about the Soviet Union (or the USSR) and its conflict with
the United States? Tell me about it.
1a) "I first remember
hearing about the Soviet Union when I was in school; probably around 1955. We
studied history and I remember hearing about the Second World War. That was the
first time I heard about Russia and the Soviet Union."
2. What do you remember
seeing or reading in the news about the Cold War?
2a) In 1955 I remember reading about it in school
newspaper. They’d inform us about
3. What books did you read
or movies did you watch that villainized the Soviet Union or dealt with the
Cold War? How did they shape your impressions at that time?
3a) History books and
geography books I read about Russia taught us that they're our enemies In the new I was a lot of negative stuff about
Russia was feed to the public. Its lead me to distrust Russians. The aggressiveness has lead me to
believe and confirm that the Russians are an untrustworthy nation.
4. What were you taught in
school and at home about the Soviet Union? What did your school and family
teach about nuclear threats and nuclear war?
4a) In 1947 everyone in
school knew that there was atomic bombs being built. We were taught that it’s almost impossible to
survive a nuclear attack. We were taught that if a nuclear bomb were ever to
happen, you’d to put your head between your legs but we knew that if a nuclear
bomb were to drop we’d be dead. They’d have a certain siren that would go off
and that meant that we had to do a drill that’d make you hide.
5. Were you or any of your
family members ever afraid that there would be a hot war or nuclear war between
the United States and the Soviet Union? When did you feel that way? If yes, did
you do anything to prepare or get ready for it?
5a) Yes, we were afraid
that a hot war could happen. In 1962 we were about an inch away from going to
war with Russia because the Soviet union because they were putting missiles in Cuba.
We only prayed because there was really no protection. All they had to do was
click a button and we’d be dead. We could have had an underground shelter but
we wouldn't know when to use it because it could have happened at any time.
6. What aspects of the
Space Race do you remember? Was "Space Race" a phrase that you
remember using at the time? What did it mean to you?
6a) I remember that the
Soviet Union sent a sputnik up into space. They sent a little dog up there and
then it came back alive. The US didn't have anything in space yet. The US
thought that the Soviet Union was going to set up a space station on the moon
and that’d let them send nuclear bombs to earth. So that’s why US got to the
moon first; to beat the Russians there.
7. How was the rivalry
between the United States and the Soviet Union promoted in sports? Can you
think of any specific examples?
7a) Only in the Olympics
did I see rivalry between the Us and the Soviet Union. Russia had their team
and the US had theirs. Russia always had good teams so they were competitive.
And out of all the countries in the world the US wanted to beat the Russians so
it because very competitive.
8. Do you remember the
Berlin Wall coming down? How did it make you feel? How have your feelings about
that era changed since 1989 and the Berlin Wall coming down?
8a) When the Berlin wall
came down it made me feel good knowing that the people forced to live there in
those poor poor conditions were liberated. The people inside there were all
poor and hungry and if they tried to jump over the wall they’d be shoot. Once
President Reagan convinced Gorbachev to tear down the walls, the people were
saved. Yea, people have freedom now. I appreciate it more because now the whole
world is happy that they took down the wall. They liberated those people.
9. How do you think future
generations will remember the Cold War? What lessons should students today take
away from the Cold War?
9a) I think they’ll remember the Cold War as bad
tension between our country and Russia. I think they’ll also view it as a big
waste because there was a lot of unnecessary distrust between the two
countries. I think that the best lesson learned form the cold war was
negotiation. When you have problems you should negotiate because it eases
tension. You make changes and what bothered you then doesn't bother you anymore
because you eased the situation. When this happens, there’ll be peace. Negotiation
is a keep to better understand and living between two countries. If you don’t negotiate,
you’ll live in fear and uncertainty.
10. How does psychological
warfare today compare to psychological warfare during the Cold War?
10a) Today because of all
the modern equipment, the psychological warfare is more comprehended than in
the time of the Cold War.
11. Do you think that everyone should
be taught about the Cold War? Why or why not?
11a) Yes, I feel that everyone
should now about the Cold War because it’s part of history and we can learn
from the situation.
12. Do you think that a
cold war can happen again in our time?
12a) I do think that a
cold war can happen in our time. Not in the same way, because of technology and
all, but it could be done. I think that something like a cold war is kind of
going on with Iraqi, Iran, and Korea. We don’t deal with them, they don’t
deal with use. They are inferior to us and they feel that we’re inferior to us.
Reflection Questions:
·
What
from the interview did I find most surprising?
I think that the most surprising thing
for me, was the enmity and hard feelings that were still felt towards Russia
and their people, from this cold war. You can tell that the things that were
taught during that time still had an impact on the way that Mr. Rodriguez views
the Russian nation still today.
·
How
might a Russian adult have responded to the interview?
I Russian adult might have been a little defensive during this
interview. Because I’m an American they might have thought that I might still
have a resentment towards them about this issue, (weather they were involved in
it or not). This might have cause them to be ‘on guard’ about the conversation
and may have even resulted in anger or agitation.
