“Do Russians want war?...” Evgeny Yevtushenko

M. Bernes

Do Russians want war?
You ask the silence
over the expanse of arable land and fields
and among birches and poplars.
You ask those soldiers
that lie under the birch trees,
and let their sons tell you,
Do Russians want war?

Not only for your country
soldiers died in that war
and so that the people of the whole earth
they could dream peacefully.
Under the rustle of leaves and posters
you are sleeping, New York, you are sleeping, Paris.
Let your dreams answer you,
Do Russians want war?

Yes, we know how to fight,
but we don't want it to happen again
soldiers fell in battle
to your sad land.
Ask your mothers
ask my wife
and then you should understand
Do Russians want war?

Analysis of Yevtushenko’s poem “Do Russians want war?...”

Every nation has its own distinctive features and national traits that distinguish him from representatives of other nations. For Russian people, this trait is a natural love of peace, a desire to live calmly and without conflict. This is confirmed by many historical facts, because from the moment of the founding of Rus', the tribes inhabiting it did nothing but defend themselves from external enemies. The threat of invasion into Russian territory still exists today, although we all live in a civilized world. It also existed in 1961, at the height of the cold war"between the USSR and the USA, when Yevgeny Yevtushenko wrote the famous poem “Do the Russians want war?”

The idea of ​​creating a work permeated with the spirit of pacifism was born to the poet during a foreign business trip, when Yevtushenko was able to personal experience make sure that Russian people abroad are considered aggressors and instigators of armed conflicts. Therefore, the author suggests that for an answer to the question of whether the Russians want war, we turn to them themselves. “Ask those soldiers who lie under the birch trees. And their sons will answer you whether the Russians want war,” the poet notes. He emphasizes that Russians really know how to fight and are ready to defend their homeland, but they do not need foreign land, which to this day is the subject of division. “We don’t want soldiers to fall in battle again,” says the author. Since the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, which claimed millions of human lives, only 20 years have passed, and the memories of these tragic events are still fresh in people’s memories. Therefore, Yevtushenko is convinced that “both the docker and the fisherman,” “both the worker and the farm laborer” will be unanimous in the opinion that war is an evil that should be avoided.

It should be noted that this poem was originally conceived as a song, the music for which was written by Eduard Kolmanovsky. However this work was banned for quite a long time, since its content ran counter to the party line. Soviet officials considered that the work itself was devoid of patriotism and did not help strengthen the morale of the soldiers. Only in the mid-60s, when Soviet Union openly declared that he was heading for a peaceful foreign policy, the song not only entered the repertoire of a number of pop performers, but was also translated into many languages ​​of the world, recorded on records and presented at an international congress dedicated to disarmament and the renunciation of the use of nuclear weapons.

Do Russians want war?
You ask the silence
over the expanse of arable land and fields
and among birches and poplars.
You ask those soldiers
that lie under the birch trees,
and let their sons tell you,
Do Russians want war?

Not only for your country
soldiers died in that war
and so that the people of the whole earth
they could dream peacefully.
Under the rustle of leaves and posters
you are sleeping, New York, you are sleeping, Paris.
Let your dreams answer you,
Do Russians want war?

Yes, we know how to fight,
but we don't want it to happen again
soldiers fell in battle
to your sad land.
Ask your mothers
ask my wife
and then you should understand
Do Russians want war?

Analysis of the poem “Do Russians want war?” Yevtushenko

E. Yevtushenko, who lost his life quite recently, will forever remain in the memory of posterity as a truly Russian poet. He loved his country dearly and always expressed his opinions openly, even if they contradicted the official position. Yevtushenko was distinguished by sincere patriotism, not embellished with solemn slogans and statements. Time has proven the poet right. In 1961, Yevtushenko wrote the poem “Do Russians want war?..”. At this time the world was on the brink nuclear war. The contradictions between the Soviet and Western camps were so great that compromise seemed impossible. Yevtushenko’s work was a response to Western ideologists who believed that the entire population of the USSR were aggressors and invaders. It is noteworthy that the poem was condemned and Soviet leadership, which sought to incite hatred towards bourgeois society. Only a few years later the disgrace was removed from the work, and it immediately gained great popularity.

Answering the question “Do Russians want war?”, Yevtushenko turns to images native nature. The tranquil and vast Russian expanses are the answer in themselves. Russian state was formed as a result peaceful colonization. The exceptions were wars that started out of the personal interests of individual rulers. Such wars were not popular among the population. But the struggle for the country's independence acquired a national character. The fields of Russia are strewn with the bones of their soldiers, who were forced to take up arms.

Yevtushenko calls on the West to remember the events of twenty years ago. It was the USSR that became the main obstacle on the victorious path of fascism. All of Europe owes its salvation to the Russian people. Russian soldiers died in the hundreds of thousands not only on their own land, but also continued the fight to the end, “so that the people of the whole earth could see their dreams in peace.” This fair statement does not lose its relevance in our time.

The lessons of history should have long ago taught all future “great conquerors” that the Russian people can and know how to fight. But this does not mean that Russia yearns for war and countless new victims among its people. War is the most important evil on the planet. Russia has experienced its significance and consequences to the maximum extent.

Yevtushenko calls on both strangers and his own war propagandists to address this question to all Russian mothers. This question becomes rhetorical. Every abuser should first ask his mother or wife.

Do Russians want war? Evgeniy Yevtushenko

Do Russians want war?
You ask the silence
Over the expanse of arable land and fields,
And among birches and poplars.
You ask those soldiers
What lies under the birch trees,
And their sons will answer you,
Do the Russians want
Do the Russians want
Do Russians want war?
Not only for your country
Soldiers died in that war
And so that the people of the whole earth
We could sleep peacefully at night.
Ask those who fought
Who hugged us on the Elbe
(We are faithful to this memory),
Do the Russians want
Do the Russians want
Do Russians want war?
Yes, we know how to fight,
But we don't want it to happen again
Soldiers fell in battle
To your bitter land.
Ask your mothers
Ask my wife
And then you should understand
Do the Russians want
Do the Russians want
Do Russians want war?
Both the docker and the fisherman will understand,
The worker and farm laborer will understand,
The people of any country will understand,
Do the Russians want
Do the Russians want
Do Russians want war?

“Do the Russians Want War” is a popular Soviet song.

First performed in 1961 by Mark Bernes.

Other articles in the literary diary:

• 01/27/2013. January 27, 1944
• 26.01.2013. Do Russians want war? Evgeniy Yevtushenko

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