It is a long and complicated story as to why my father wound up spending time with the Russian Army in 1945. The fact is he did. He was impressed with their capacity for booze, and their willingness to drink anything alcoholic. He was amused that they took a sink from a house on the theory that it would supply them with clean water. He also referred to the man in question, always, as "Old Joe Stalin". Though I don't think they ever met.