This was basically a bargaining chip between the Russians and the Americans and British (remember, Russia was our ally at the time). To keep a long, convoluted story short, it was decided that...
Yes. The armed forces were known as the Red Army, as well as Red Air Force, Red Marines, Red navy etc, until after Stalin died in 1953, it was then re-named to the Soviet Army, Soviet air force etc,...
First time 1721, although Estonia was mainly under German rule even then, and only considered as part of Russian Empire bureaucratically. The independence was gained in 1918. Second time, 1940, in...