An Echo of the Past

Though history doesn’t repeat itself, it’s permeated with reverberations. In the late 1930s the Western democracies — the allies — were menaced by the axis of Germany, Italy, and Japan, three heavily armed powers bent on conquest. Now, about 85 years later, the allies are menaced by the axis of Russia and China, two nuclear armed powers bent on conquest.

Hitler seized Czechoslovakia and got away with it, but when he invaded Poland, war began in earnest. Putin seized Crimea and got away with it, but when he invaded the heart of Ukraine, war began in earnest. In this instance, the allies have participated only indirectly because of fear of escalation that could lead to nuclear war. All we know at the moment is that fraught years lie ahead.