Meet the Russians???? It was a great, lifetime, learning experience for me!
This picture is In Munich, Germany with my High School buddy, Mike Friedman, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, October 16-28, 1962. When this nuclear confrontation started, most tourists began rushing home. All airlines were immediately full returning to the United States.
I called my father for guidance. My dad said, "Son, if they are going to fight, it will happen before you can come home, but I do not believe they are going to fight. You worked hard all summer to make this journey. I have faith that you will return home safely when the time is right." That was it for me! Mike's parents wanted him to go back immediately, but he said no.
After working at a Work Camp in Munich for almost two months, doing construction work for $.85 per hour, Mike and I went, hitch-hiking, when possible, through Austria, Italy, Spain, France and eventually to Stuttgart, Germany. We spent a month in Stuttgart living in a Bomb Shelter, converted into a low-cost hotel, and worked washing cars for $.75 per hour. Finally, after much urging by his parents, Mike had to return home in early February, but I had deep urge to complete my journey.
After the Cuban Missile Crisis, I always wanted to meet a Russian and hear from their perspective why they had Missiles in Cuba and why they tried to blow up my relatives and myself. This question begins formulating in early elementary school when we had air raid drills and had to crouch under our desks because the Russians were going to blow us up. There were also those Radio Programs like "I was a Communist for the FBI and the repeated slogan, "The only good Communist is a dead Communist!" This slogan reminded me a lot of,"The only Good Indian is a Dead Indian" that I had heard many times!
Therefore, I had learned by the time I went to "Pioneer" Jr. High, that what my parents and elders told me about our Native American History and what other "official" sources said happened were usually completely different! So after Mike left, I decided to go to Berlin and meet a Russian.
When the train passed into East Germany, it was boarded by young men, about my age, with machine guns, I knew then I was in for a real adventure. After spending some days and nights exploring West Berlin, I got a note in German that gave the address of the Russian Embassy. I went to “Checkpoint Charlie” where I was eventually strip searched when I entered East Berlin. I then took a Taxi to the Russian Embassy. I walked up the steps of the Embassy of the USSR in East Berlin and rang the bell beside massive double doors.
My ringing echoed, hollow and long. I waited and rang again. A voice spoke through the speaker beside the door, first in Russian, then in German (presumably asking who I was and what I wanted.) When the voice stopped, I gave greetings in English. There was a long pause, and then someone said very, very loud in English, “WHO IS THIS?” I was stunned! All I could do is blurt out, “It's Phil from Walla Walla. I would like to speak to someone.”
After some time, one of the big doors opened, and a Russian, in a black suit, who spoke perfect English invited me to come inside the Embassy. We went upstairs several floors, and we talked for more than three hours about why the United States and the Soviet Union saw each other as enemies, the politics of Cuba, including the US nuclear missiles in Turkey and Italy. Finally, we talked about how we wanted the same things for our families and relatives, and how perhaps one day the walls would be taken down. We had tea, and he gave me three softbound books, and we parted as friends.
There is much more to this story in Berlin and my ten-month journey, but I will close for now. What I learned from this experience is that every issue has many sides and that each perspective must be carefully and respectfully considered. As my tribal Elders taught me in essence, you should never judge another human being until you have walked at least a mile in their moccasins.
After Berlin, I did complete my journey through Europe, England, Scotland, Iceland and eventually arrived by Icelandic Airlines back to La Guardia Airport in New York City at the beginning of June 1963. I hitchhiked home in four days, just in time to go to work at the Birdseye Frozen Food Plant to save money to go on to the University of Washington.
What were the final results of the Cuban Missile Crisis? Our politicians said it was a great victory for the USA and the Free World. You are the judge!
1)) Withdrawal of the USSR's' nuclear missiles from Cuba
2) Withdrawal of the USA's nuclear missiles from Turkey and Italy
3) Agreement with the USSR that the USA would never invade Cuba without direct provocation.
4) Creation of a nuclear hotline between the USA and the USSR
Let's be very careful before getting into another Nuclear Confrontation with Russia and China. It may not turn out so well this time for anyone!
Warm Love and Greetings,
Ate, Dekshi, Lala, and Tibdo Phil
