This month marked the centennial of Red October, the Russian Revolution that ended the czarist empire and laid the groundwork for the Soviet Union. The strange fact that Red October is commemorated in November (November 7 th to be precise) is due to the fact that, up to the time of the revolution, the Russian Empire still used the Gregorian calendar, instead of today’s Julian calendar, resulting in a 13-day gap. Sparse crowds view a centennial display in Moscow Photo by Peter Kovalev/TASS For those of us who can remember back to the height of the former Soviet Union’s power and what a typical anniversary of the 1917 communist revolution might have looked like back then, this year’s ceremonies marking the 100 th anniversary of the Russian Revolution couldn’t have been more anemic. There were no official events planned to recall—for better or worse—what was clearly a life-changing event in the history of Russia and, indeed, the world. In fact, President Vladimir Putin ...
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Author Roberto Vivo comments on wars past and present, on the world’s great peacemakers and on the pathway to global peace. His basic philosophy: In a world where 9 out of every 10 victims of armed conflict are civilians, war is no longer a viable political alternative. Indeed, it is the ultimate crime against humanity. If rising generations are to have a future, the key will lie in world peace. War is the pathway to oblivion.