You lost me with this "Similarly, on World War II’s Eastern Front, the Soviet Union absorbed the catastrophic brunt of defeating Nazi Germany, losing 27 million soldiers and civilians (Ellman & Maksudov, 1994; Harrison, 2003). Yet modern Western consciousness treats that sacrifice as an awkward footnote, replacing it with Hollywood GIs storming Normandy."

You know what Western Consciousness lacks? A clear information Soviet Union is directly responsible for starting WW2 by attacking Poland (my country) in concert with Hitler.

There would be no WW2 if not for Ribbentrop-Molotov pact.

Soviets indeed helped fight Hitler once he switched from being an ally to an enemy. If he didn't choose to attack them it would've never happened.

Furthermore they enslaved the countries they came to "liberate" for 50 years and hunted the remainder of our army till 1960s. So forgive me if I do not consider them worthy of any praise whatsoever.