In 1938 Hitler, having previously sent in forces to create disturbances, annexed the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia purportedly to protect ethnic Germans living there. After a series of conferences the western democracies did nothing.
In 2014 Putin, having previously sent in forces to create disturbances, has annexed the Crimea and invaded eastern Ukraine purportedly to protect ethnic Russians. So far the western democracies have held conferences.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it", George Santayana.
Fyi, Hitler later stated that if the West had prepared to militarily oppose his reoccupation of the Rhineland in 1936 he would have retreated immediately.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Ukraine 2014
Been following the events in Ukraine for some time now. This week, late February 2014, things seem to have come to a head. Reminds me eerily of Hungary 1956. If the Russians move in from the east will the U.S. or N.A.T.O. move in from the west? If not will this re-create the "spheres of influence" which the putative end of the Cold War terminated? If not will Western governments be reviled for decades for in effect giving Russia a free hand in the nations which border it? If not what will be the chilling effect in those nations? However if yes, the West does intervene militarily does this mean a shooting war to contest a corrupt bankrupt and perhaps hopelessly divided Ukraine? Interesting times.
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