In 1971, the head of state in Romania, Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife, Elena visited Mao Zedong in China and they were met with an incredible sight. Everywhere, Chairman Mao was being worshipped, treated with reverence, pushed to an almost God-like status. For the couple, both born in poverty, the son and daughter of peasants, this was almost too good to be true and they took it to heart. Nicolae wanted so badly to be put on a pedestal, to be glorified by his citizens, and Elena was by his side, whispering in his ear. Telling him that he deserved to be worshipped, to be in the hall of greats. His megalomaniac, narcissistic mind started to believe his own propaganda. Nicolae later became President of Romania and he and his wife spent the next 18 years creating hell on earth for the Romanian people, eventually leading to the genocide of thousands of individuals.
Thanks to Mike Meyers for the theme music, you can follow him on X @themikeshow42.
The background music of this episode is “A Secret Comes Out” by John Bartmann (Free Music Archive)(CC0 1.0) https://tinyurl.com/secretcomesout
Episode Transcript
Ceaușescu Part Two
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a pivotal uprising that marked the end of Nicolae Ceaușescu’s oppressive communist regime. Sparked by protests in Timișoara, it quickly spread nationwide, culminating in Ceaușescu’s dramatic fall and execution alongside his wife, Elena. This historic event not only liberated Romania from decades of dictatorship but also symbolized the broader collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, leaving a lasting impact on the nation’s political and social landscape.
Thanks to Mike Meyers for the theme music, you can follow him on X @themikeshow42.
The background music of this episode is “A Secret Comes Out” by John Bartmann (Free Music Archive)(CC0 1.0) https://tinyurl.com/secretcomesout
