# That's What We Wanted You To Think A quote from a 1998 Simpsons episode where a Russian ambassador reveals the Soviet Union never actually dissolved, the line resurfaced online as a GIF used to accuse Russia of duplicity. It hit peak virality in May 2017 when Ukraine's official Twitter account fired it at Russia during a spat over an 11th-century French queen. ## Origin The scene aired on March 29, 1998, in Season 9 Episode 19 of The Simpsons, titled 'Simpson Tide,' in which Homer joins the Naval Reserve and ends up piloting a submarine into Russian waters[3]. During the ensuing international incident, the Russian ambassador at the UN laughs off the West's confusion, flips his nameplate from 'Russia' to 'Soviet Union,' and delivers the line 'That's what we wanted you to think'[1]. The bit ran further with tanks rolling out of parade floats and Lenin bursting from his tomb, extending the reveal for comic effect[1]. - **Platform:** The Simpsons (TV broadcast) / Reddit and Twitter (viral spread) - **Creator:** Unknown - **Date:** 1998 ## Overview The gag comes from The Simpsons and pivots on a single sight gag: a UN placard flips from 'Russia' to 'Soviet Union' while the ambassador cackles and delivers the title line[1]. Because the scene stages a real-world power cheerfully admitting it faked its own downfall, the GIF became shorthand online for accusing any country, company, or person of running a long con[2]. Almost every version keeps the original clip intact and lets the caption do the work, usually framing some current event as the 'reveal' that supposedly explains everything. Edits swap the on-screen 'Russia' plate for other subjects, letting posters imply that Pakistan is secretly the UK or that the Cold War never ended[3]. The joke works because Simpsons Tide committed to the bit years before it looked politically loaded, so the format still feels like an old cartoon predicting the news rather than a fresh punchline[4]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is That's What We Wanted You To Think? It's a Simpsons quote and reaction GIF pulled from a 1998 episode where a Russian ambassador reveals the Soviet Union secretly never dissolved[1]. ### Where did That's What We Wanted You To Think come from? The line comes from Season 9 Episode 19 of The Simpsons, 'Simpson Tide,' broadcast on March 29, 1998[3]. ### What does That's What We Wanted You To Think mean? Online it's used to accuse a country, brand, or person of running a deception the audience only just noticed, playing off the joke that Russia faked the end of the Cold War[2]. ### How do you use That's What We Wanted You To Think? Posters typically drop the GIF as a reply to a news headline or reveal, often editing the on-screen placard to swap in a new subject like Pakistan or the UK[3]. ### Is That's What We Wanted You To Think still popular? It's a classic Simpsons reaction GIF that got its biggest push in 2017 when Ukraine's official Twitter account used it against Russia during a fight over Anne of Kiev, drawing coverage from Vox, CNN, and The Daily Beast[2][4][8]. ## References 1. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQKzesTq0Wo]() 2. [https://www.vox.com/world/2017/5/30/15712140/russia-ukraine-twitter-fight-simpsons-gif]() 3. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/thats-what-we-wanted-you-to-think]() 4. [https://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/30/politics/ukraine-russia-twitter-fight-simpsons-gif/]() 5. [https://twitter.com/Ukraine/status/869433723867062272]() 6. [https://twitter.com/Russia/status/869518732615352320]() 7. [https://x.com/i/status/869532150760165377]() 8. [https://www.thedailybeast.com/ukraine-just-threw-major-shade-at-russia-on-twitter]() 9. [https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/ukraine-russia-twitter-simpsons-gif/]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/thats-what-we-wanted-you-to-think Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library