Fans of political talk shows on Russian television have long known an overseas expert who usually comments through various teleconferences on various events in international life. Now Dmitry Simes is already living together with Vyacheslav Nikonov is conducting the program "Big Game" on the first channel. They represent Russian and American views and ideas on solving global problems.
Origin
Dmitry Konstantinovich Simis (that was his name at birth) is a first-generation American who emigrated from the Soviet Union. Born October 29, 1947 in Moscow. By nationality Dmitry Simes is Jewish.
His father, Konstantin Mikhailovich Simis, worked as a teacher at MGIMO, specializing in international law. Then he was a senior researcher at the Institute of Legislation, an employee of Radio Liberty, was engaged in human rights activities.
Mom, Dina Isaakovna Kaminsky, worked as a lawyer. Represented the interests of many dissidents in Soviet courts, for which she was later expelled from the Moscow Bar. In 1977, Simes's parents emigrated to the United States to their son. In the biography of Dmitry Simes, the family played a great role in the formation of his political views and the desire to leave the country.
Student years
After graduating from high school, he failed to enter the institute in the first year. Therefore, in order not to waste time in vain, I got a job as a scientific and technical employee at the State Historical Museum. The next year, having successfully passed the entrance exams, I entered the full-time department of the Faculty of History of Moscow State University.
In the second year, Dmitry Simes inadvertently entered into a heated debate with a teacher in a lesson on the history of the CPSU on the assessment of certain Leninist works. In Soviet times, it was one of the main subjects, regardless of the specialty received. Therefore, in order to avoid a harsher punishment, he transferred to the correspondence faculty. At the same time, he became seriously interested in anthropology, because of which he entered the full-time department of the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University. However, here the matter did not go further than the first course. He was expelled from the university for speaking at a youth debate in which students were to condemn US aggression in Vietnam. The faculty leadership did not like his anti-Soviet statements.
Soviet Americanist
Fortunately, Dmitry Simes was not expelled from distance learning. He graduated from the history department of Moscow State University, defending a thesis on the problems of recent US history. While still studying, his father’s acquaintances were able to get him a scientific and technical employee at the famous Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO). After graduating, he continued to work at this institute, dealing with socio-political problems of the United States.
He worked under the supervision of Schamberg in the Information Department in the US group. Dmitry lectured on international issues. Nationality in the biography of Dmitry Simes of those years probably only helped. He became one of the most promising scientists. He received a prize in the competition for the best project among young professionals. It was then that the United States became seriously interested as a place of future residence and decided to emigrate.
Forward to the dream
In order not to harm the people who got him a job, and possibly the reputation of the institute, Dmitry quit and only then filed documents for leaving. In making one of the most important decisions in the biography of Dmitry Simes, nationality played a key role.
After six months of painful expectations, he was allowed to leave the Soviet Union. Shortly before this, Dmitry participated with other dissidents in a protest rally held at the Central Telegraph in Moscow. He was arrested and spent three months in a pre-trial detention cell. The petition of the French prime minister and the US senator helped to free themselves and quickly draw up documents. They turned for help to the chairman of the Soviet government, Kosygin. And in early 1973, like many other Soviet Jews, on an Israeli visa, he traveled through Vienna to the United States without the right to return.
From Americanists to Sovietologists
Upon arrival in the country of his dreams, the former Soviet American officially became Dmitry Simes. The young man managed to integrate quickly enough in the New World, to become a valuable specialist in his former homeland. Unlike many "Russian" emigrants, he did not speculate on the topic of the heavy proportion of Jews in the Soviet country, did not engage in frenzied anti-Soviet propaganda.
Of great importance in the biography of Dmitry Simes as an authoritative specialist-Sovietologist was the fact that he tried to look realistically at the Soviet world. Instead of total criticism, he proposed to deal more with the evolution of socialism and the country, which contributed to a more accurate forecasting of relations between superpowers.
He had good relations with many influential politicians, including James Schlesinger, director of the CIA, and then with the Department of Defense and Brent Scrokfort, a national security adviser. Perhaps thanks to them, he headed the Center for Soviet and European Studies at the Carnegie Endowment. He worked here for about ten years, doing research and teaching at leading American universities.
New Russia Specialist
An important event in the biography of Dmitry Simes was the acquaintance in the 80s with former US President Richard Nixon. He was considered his unofficial adviser on foreign policy issues. In 1994, he headed the non-governmental research center Nixon (now the Center for National Interests).
In the post-Soviet era, Dmitry Simes deals with relations between the new Russian state and the united West. He is quite loyal to the authorities in Russia. Remaining a patriot of his new homeland, he advocates improving relations between countries based on a balance of interests. Often acts as an expert on various television programs and publications. The author of several books, among the last - "Putin and the West. Do not teach Russia how to live!"
