Soviet Dialogues

In the 1920s, my grandmother’s cousin, William Christian Bullitt, married Louise Bryant (played by Diane Keaton in Reds). Bryant was previously married to John Reed, a noted American-born communist. At that time, Bullitt considered himself one of the radical intellectuals and supported the Soviet cause. In 1933, he was appointed the first US Ambassador to the Soviet Union. While there, his concept of the Soviet Union and communism soured. By the end of his service, he was openly hostile to the Soviet leadership.

Perhaps it was this story, told to me as a child that gave me no romantic notions of the Soviet Revolution, constructivism, and the rise of communism. The poster is an example of the Soviet leadership’s concept of human rights and democracy.