 |
| "Looks like a lot of tanks." "PFFFT! This will take care of them." |
On June 22, 1941,
Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Codenamed
“Operation Barbarossa,” this military misadventure resulted in disaster for the
Germans when it finally concluded, with 8 million casualties, on December 5,
1941.
Fun Fact: “Barbarossa,” meaning “Red Beard,” took its
name after the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa, leader of the Third
Crusade. Unfortunately, for him, he drowned
in Asia Minor and the Third Crusade was pretty much a bust. Frankly, you’d think Hitler would’ve caught a
clue. Anyway, legend had it that
Barbarossa was merely asleep and, like King Arthur of England, would come to
the aid of his country at a time of need.
 |
| Wrong King Arthur |
The invasion of the USSR may have come as kind of a surprise to Josef Stalin, especially since his nation and the Nazis signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop, or non-aggression, Pact in 1939.
Mind you, Stalin
was no choir boy himself. Even though he
had suspicions, he didn’t mobilize his forces lest he antagonize the Germans.
He also probably
figured Adolph wouldn’t be stupid enough to spark a two-front war.
 |
| "You know England's not defeated, ja?" "PFFFT! What's the worst that could happen?" |
Well, the Arrogant Head Cheerleader for the Master Race invaded anyway and, like Napoleon, promptly got his ass kicked by Mother Russia.
 |
| "Whew! I did not see that coming!" |
Further, in classic “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” fashion, the Allies could now include the Soviet Union.
 |
| And we all know how that turned out. |
With this in mind, I have my worries about the bombast concerning Communist Cuba.
 |
| "Mr. President, about Cuba... Aren't you concerned that Iran's not defeated?" "PFFFT! What's the worst that could happen?" |
To be sure, I don’t think Donald Trump is the second coming of Adolph Hitler. Those who think so are idiots.
However, the
action in Iran is not over. Do we
really want another military operation in the Caribbean? To be sure, the weather is much nicer and
American supply lines are much, much shorter.
But.........
History doesn’t repeat itself, but it sure can rhyme sometime.
I hope I’m wrong.
I think comparing Trump to Hitler is a shorthand for calling him a pathological narcissist who demands complete loyalty (and then some), is unable to tolerate any criticism, though he berates others incessantly, and who has massive revenge fantasies against anyone who ever crossed him, especially journalists…
ReplyDeleteAll very, very true. I so wish he wasn't president. But calling him Hitler is idiotic. Hitler ordered millions murdered and plunged the world into a war which killed many more. And Trump doesn't have a Nazi tattoo on his chest.
ReplyDeleteYou're not wrong. Although with Russia there was that whole business about winter. But still, yeah, this just shows the regime's general incompetence. It's more about distraction and entertainment than actual, I don't know, statecraft?
ReplyDelete(Sorry I'm late. I tried to read this yesterday, but fell asleep. A couple times. And I had no idea what I read. It wasn't your prose. Just end of school year hit me hard, and I napped for two hours.)
Funny you mention winter. That was in the original draft (Hitler, Napoleon, winter). But, since I try to keep these (relatively) short (believe it or not), it ended up being edited out. Also, I removed my discomfort with those who say the Americans were the only reason Germany lost. Hopefully, though, I adequately communicated my unease with this whole thing.
DeleteOh, and naps? Naps are good.
DeleteI would agree Trump is absolutely no Hitler and the comparisons sound foolish. But the world does feel especially precarious at the moment...maybe it's always been so? When I see the photographs of young boys running in to the beach on that June day I am still so moved and grateful.
ReplyDeleteI wonder that the world has always been fraught with danger. And maybe we are just more informed...?
DeleteToo often history repeats itself.
ReplyDeleteSadly, yes.
Deletegreat post..ro plant in madurai
ReplyDeleteSadly, Bad History often repeats itself if we don't Learn from it to avoid repetition.
ReplyDeleteTrue that.
Delete