Combat naturally leads to behaviours that would be deemed shocking in normal life
Antony Beevor is a prolific English military historian, most famous for the bestseller Stalingrad. First published in the late 1990s, the book’s narrative covers the period between the June 1941 German invasion of the Soviet Union and the conclusion of the Battle of Stalingrad in February 1943. That battle is often described as the Second…
The leaders of the so-called “Free World” are in an ineffectual muddle
The predictable invasion of Ukraine by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has put the outgunned Ukrainian forces in a very difficult situation. The leaders of the so-called “Free World” are in an ineffectual muddle. Surprisingly, Germany is finally making solid moves to shore up its military and become a NATO leader. Germany, a NATO financial delinquent,…
Pushing Russia out of the global energy equation virtually impossible at this stage
The crude oil market has passed through a highly volatile week. The impact seemed to ripple all around the globe. Early last week, oil prices began approaching their highest level since 2008, generating anxiety and concern all around. Prices surged and the markets tightened further as the United States and its allies, including the United…
Ignore mistakes of the past or allow racist policies in the present and we embrace our own demise
There has been a great deal of discussion in the American media about the teaching of critical race theory. Some states have passed legislation to prevent the discussion of this topic in schools, and others have similar bills before their elected assemblies. Michigan is one of these states, and I recently came across a document…
The unintended consequences of our policy decisions
The tragedy unfolding in Ukraine brings several immediate thoughts to mind. In a dangerous world, being able to look after yourself is highly advantageous We talk a lot about how war has become obsolete, how a rules-based international order can substitute for a robust defence capability, and how attachment to the nation-state is increasingly passé.…
They’re not guilty of the crimes of their ancestors but they are responsible for building a more peaceful and tolerant country
When Germany talked about reuniting as one country after the fall of the Berlin Wall in late 1989, many world leaders were quite concerned, especially British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and French President François Mitterrand. But Germany wasn’t the same country it was in the first half of the 20th century, and today it isn’t…
Stalin never lost his penchant for executing his officers. In the catastrophic early days of the German invasion, he shot eight generals
Adolf Hitler launched the German invasion of the Soviet Union – Operation Barbarossa – in the early hours of June 22, 1941. Initially, it looked like a triumph. The Soviets were caught flatfooted and German troops advanced 480 km into Soviet territory within the first week. It looked like an eastern version of the blitzkrieg…
The Nazi approach rested on three pillars: popularity, tradition and coercion
The question of what Germans really thought of Adolf Hitler has been kicking around for as long as I can remember. Were Germans hoodwinked, intimidated or broadly supportive? Or was it perhaps some combination of all three? Robert Gellately is a Canadian historian who has written extensively on Nazi Germany. And his latest book, Hitler’s…
Was Adolf Eichmann a monster or just a loyal officer in a role that largely revolved around establishing train schedules?
On May 23, 1960, Israel announced the capture of Adolf Eichmann. An undercover Israeli security services team had snatched him 12 days earlier in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and smuggled him out of the country by air. The story was an immediate international sensation. If you were only moderately conversant with the Holocaust, you might never…
Very few people have ever had the freedoms Canadians enjoy today. May we always be mindful of this
Like many of my generation of German descent, I’ve had to grapple with an uncomfortable family history. Though I know he came to regret his decision, my grandfather was a member of the Nazi Party and was part of the populist movement that brought them to power. I could make excuses for his decision and…