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In Memoriam; Or; A Farewell to the Most Famous Russian of All
Topic Started: Dec 25 2013, 01:38 PM (214 Views)
Petar
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The General
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"Of all the weapons in the vast Soviet arsenal, nothing was more profitable than Avtomat Kalashnikova, Model of 1947, more commonly known as the AK-47, or Kalashnikov. It's the world's most popular assault rifle, a weapon all fighters love. An elegantly simple 9 pound amalgamation of forged steel and plywood. It doesn't break, jam, or overheat. It'll shoot whether it's covered in mud or filled with sand. It's so easy, even a child can use it - and they do. The Soviets put the gun on a coin. Mozambique put it on their flag. Since the end of the Cold War, the Kalashnikov has become the Russian people's greatest export. After that comes vodka, caviar, and suicidal novelists. One thing is for sure, no one was lining up to buy their cars." - Lord of War (2005)


When we think of the Soviet Union, the image that immediately pops into our head is one of rows upon rows of uniformed men marching on the Red Square, to the tune of the Soviet anthem. Of course, the image of the Soviet soldier would be incomplete without his most trustworthy friend - the Avtomat Kalašnjikova, Model of 1947, or more simply AK-47 - perhaps the most proliferated, most venerated and most infamous firearm in the world.

Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov has passed into history long before his death in the late hours of Dec. 23, yet he in his wildest dreams never imagined that he would design a weapon that would become so iconic that it would be associated with freedom fighters - but also terrorists - in all parts of the world. He considered himself only to be a humble servant of the Motherland, designing the piece to defend his home after witnessing the horrors of the Nazi invasion. It was destiny herself, as well as the ingenuity of his weapon, that decided its fate.

We can say whatever we want about the weapon. War is horrible, and the mass proliferation of the weapon enabled even children to be used in the conflicts. Certainly, the weapon has created more chaos and more death than any before it - but it has also enabled freedom for dozens of countries, including my own. A double-edged sword.

But we can hardly find anything tarnishing in Mr Kalashnikov's own resume, and he has certainly changed history in a way so few have done before - and because of this, I believe he deserves a brief mention on our site, in lieu of his death following a prolonged illness.
Edited by Petar, Dec 25 2013, 03:05 PM.
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Simon Darkshade
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Nefarious Swashbuckler
Indeedy, he is in no way to blame for the use of his invention and his purposes were good. Vale.
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