Incredible. And I get the feeling that John Paul II was respected as a man -- certainly he was a local hero for the Polish people -- but he also had a certain magnetism as a person that went beyond his earthly power.
He seems to be a truly pious and humble man.
Well, this is certainly an aspect of history that Americans do not appreciate. And you make the case that this was pivotal to the fall of the Soviet Union.
Well, for sure Ronald Reagan set the course for the world to see the USSR as the evil empire that it was. But he could never confront them head-on militarily.
What was needed was a spiritual strengthening of the people on the ground everywhere the USSR ruled. Without that, there would have never been a breakup.
Ronald Reagan simply could not have done it without Pope John Paul II.