John Stuart Mill, essentially the most influential English language thinker of the nineteenth century, as soon as wrote, “Struggle is an unsightly factor, however not the ugliest of issues. The decayed and degraded state of ethical and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is value conflict is far worse.”
Mill died in 1873, so he didn’t stay to witness the violent 20th century, however little question the conflicts that happened, together with these conflicts which had been prevented throughout that bloody interval would reinforce his considering on conflict. He would additionally shake his head in disappointment at how the “degraded state” of ethical decay within the West is permitting a modern-day aggressor like Russia’s Vladimir Putin to invade a peaceable nation like Ukraine.
To make my level right here, I’m going to take you thru a quick historical past lesson, so please grasp with me!
The 2 main conflicts of the primary half of the 20th century, World Wars I and II, happened as a result of needs for territorial enlargement and political affect by Germany. All particulars apart, the tens of millions of lives misplaced had been as a result of European democracies’ preliminary failure to make use of an efficient counterweight to German ambitions. This was very true within the Nineteen Thirties when Britain and France stood by and allowed militarily inferior Nazi Germany to bloodlessly seize the Rhineland, the Sudetenland and the remainder of Czechoslovakia, and Austria. By the point a strengthened Germany invaded Poland on September 1st, 1939, the chance to avert a bloody conflict was misplaced ceaselessly, leading to 50 million deaths.
After World Struggle II was over, the democracies of Europe, together with america, confronted a big and menacing new enemy, The Soviet Union (Russia together with quite a lot of its neighboring states from the outdated Russian empire). This time, nevertheless, good guys realized that the one approach to avert a Third World Struggle was to kind a powerful navy alliance to withstand the brand new risk, so the North Atlantic Treaty Group (NATO) was established. I used to be there throughout 10 years of the Chilly Struggle, and though it was tense at occasions, the alliance was profitable, sustaining peace in Europe for over 42 years, from its formation in 1949 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
After the Soviet Union fell and its previously conquered territories opted for independence and even alignment with the West, NATO progressively let down its guard with many member nations decreasing protection spending to prop up their socialist societies. The risk was vanquished, proper? Effectively, the lesson was not realized.
There was this former Soviet KGB officer named Vladimir Putin, who referred to as the collapse of the Soviet Union the “best geopolitical disaster” of the twentieth century. He noticed the Soviet Union as an incarnation of the outdated Russian Empire, and now sees himself within the function of a modern-day Czar to rebuild that empire. Evaluate this to a younger Adolf Hitler who lamented the defeat of Germany in World Struggle I by writing, “So, it had all been in useless. In useless all of the sacrifices and privations; in useless the hours wherein, with mortal concern clutching at our hearts, we however did our obligation; in useless the loss of life of two million who died. Had they died for this? The extra I attempted to realize readability on the monstrous occasions on this hour, the extra the disgrace of indignation and shame burned my forehead.”
In Hitler’s case, he received his revenge on account of weak leaders and a wave of pacifism in Western Europe. In Putin’s case, the identical elements could also be within the stew with our current clown present of the Biden/Harris administration, together with European leaders who put cash above all.
Probably the most disturbing factor is our personal era X and Y who don’t suppose America or the West is value combating for; self-described libertarians bereft of historic data and real-world expertise. These are the identical individuals who declare fight footage from Ukraine is “faux” however will swallow each Q-Anon conspiracy principle hook, line, and sinker. You may see them throughout social media spreading Russian propaganda, and on TV within the type of Tucker Carlson. They’re Vlad Putin’s dream, and freedom’s nightmare.
The one query is whether or not they may get up earlier than Putin units his sights on a NATO nation akin to Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania and will get us into World Struggle III.
Dwight Weidman is a resident of Greene Township and is a graduate of Shepherd College. He’s retired from america Division of Protection, the place his profession included assignments In Europe, Asia and Central America. He has been in management roles for the Republican Get together in two states, most not too long ago serving two phrases as Chairman of the Franklin County Republican Get together. Concerned in net publishing since 1996, he’s the writer of The Franklin County Journal. He has been an Novice Radio Operator since 1988, getting his first license in Germany, and is a previous volunteer with each Navy and Military MARS, Army Auxiliary Radio Service, and can be a licensed firearms teacher.
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