Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-440838-20140725033658/@comment-24473740-20140728133942

Callumthered,

I quite agree that popular knowledge (films on WW2), curricula (RE in school history) and the emotional thrill (Soviets) are plausible reasons.

Others, which I suggest may complete the picture, could be nationalist, ideological or similar cultural motives: a non-Leninist socialist may want to see a reformed Soviet Empire, an American with pride in his or her Irish heritage may want to attribute Ireland a greater role in history etc.