We are about halfway through the Winter Olympics in Sochi, and some are wondering how these Russian Olympics will end. I’m not talking about the medal count. I’m talking about the closing ceremonies.

The opening ceremonies were certainly a whitewash of Russian history. The people in Fisht Olympic Stadium, and all of us watching on television, were treated to revisionist history concerning the era of Joseph Stalin. The lavish sets and stunning choreography obscured the tragic history of Russia. It culminated when the young girl chosen to soar above the crowd let go of a red balloon.

The real story involved mass forced migrations, mass starvation, and the brutal occupation of Eastern Europe. The Russian citizens suffered under the invasive tactics of the KGB and the dictatorial reign of one Soviet leader after another.

I recognize that those putting on the opening ceremonies were not allowed to depict any of this, especially with Vladimir Putin sitting in the stands. But was it too much to ask that the NBC commentators might put some of the dark chapters in Russian history in some context?

A clip by Peter Dinklage characterized the Soviet Union as an “empire that ascended to affirm a colossal footprint, the revolution that birthed one of the modern history’s pivotal experiments.”

When the little girl let go of the red balloon that symbolized the end of the Soviet Union, Meredith Viera called it a “bittersweet moment.” The end of a brutal communist era in Russian history was a bittersweet moment?

I understand that American broadcasters are the invited guests to these Olympic events in Russia. But the broadcasters missed an opportunity to educate. It would be good to remind older viewers of what Russia was not so long ago. And it is crucial they educate younger viewers who might not even know about the horrors of the Soviet Union.

The NBC anchors missed a teachable moment in the opening ceremonies. One can only hope they don’t miss another when these Olympics come to an end.