THE WALL HAD TO COME DOWN.

Stephen "Vodka Pundit" Green quipped, "The Soviet Union looked very strong to most outsiders right up until it didn’t."  The Deutsche Demokratische Republik attempted to present an impression of strength.  Look closely at this recently released recording of the fall 1984 35 Jahre DDR military parade, and note that colorfully decorated khrushchobas are still khrushchobas, and the morale-building slogans are shop-worn.

A commenter noted the parade took place just after the Cubs partied away a shot at the World Series in the discos of San Diego, while Ronald Reagan was about to reassure voters he was up to the job, and would carry 49 states in the presidential election.  Among the distinguished visitors were Yasser Arafat and Nicole Ceaucescu.  The diplomatic row at Communist parades featured all sorts of rogues and ne'er-do-wells.  Konstantin Chernenko was too old and addled to show up, so some deputy boss communist was the evil emperor's stand-in.

If the khrushchobas don't look old, check out the Chaika staff cars the general officers are riding in.  Cadillac tail fins as interpreted by Soviet artists.  The parade: standard German march music, with a few Soviet revolutionary tunes thrown in.  The motorized units: the new ones are grinding a kilogram of metal shavings into the oil sumps, and all of them give the impression of ancient Plymouths with bad PCV valves.

Three years later, President Reagan issued his "Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall" challenge, and five years later the DDR came apart a few days after the parade.

Are the remaining Communist powers inwardly weak whilst appearing outwardly strong?  "China Is A Dying Paper Dragon."  But no Reagan and Bush to manage the transition.  And who has the biggest red button?  "Kim Jong-un facing revolt as North Koreans call for US to attack their country."

We still have to face down the fellow travellers in higher education and in the Jarrett regency.