The Iron Curtain Will Fall

While we unpacked and settled into Prabhupad’s room [in Moscow], we heard military music from the street outside, and from his window we watched, passing below: a 100-foot-long ICBM rocket marked with Red Star–supported by four trucks end-to-end–followed by rows of goose-stepping soldiers, tanks, and huge wheeled artillery. We were speechless. After the half-hour parade had passed, Prabhupad looked over to me from his chair by the window, a tear running down his cheek, and on June 20th 1971, he said: “You cannot rule a nation by fear. This cannot last. Only little time. In twenty years, all this will be gone.” Later we were told this impressive show of military might was a regular Sunday event.