Posted on 10/15/2005 1:36:23 PM PDT by lizol
Russia upset about Estonian monument
Big News Network.com Friday 14th October, 2005 (UPI)
The Russian government released a statement Friday saying Estonia has mocked the memory of victims of fascism by restoring a monument to an SS legion.
The monument to Estonians who fought on the side of Germany during World War II was put up last year, but taken down after an international outcry, the Novosti news agency reported. The monument is now set to be dedicated Saturday with government officials present.
It is especially outrageous that this is happening in the year that marks 60 years since the end of World War II, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. A new attempt to glorify the Estonian SS legion shows that official Tallinn (the Estonian capital) continues to have a supportive attitude toward them. We believe that such an approach has no justification.
It says something about how Estonia feels about Russia, that they would rather salute the Nazis.
Why does it "mock the memory of the victims of fascism" when Estonia celebrates Nazis fighting Communists, but it doesn't mock the memory of the victims of Communism when Russia celebrates Communists fighting Nazis?
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They furnished 25,00 volunteers for the Waffen SS, including the Legion, and the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division [Estonia Nr.1]. They also furnished some 37,000 home guards and police units, and 10,000 teenagers for AA duty. Source: " SS:Hitler's Foreign Divisions" by Chris Bishop
Clearly the Estonians and remainder of eastern Europe hate the Russians more than the Nazis. Otherwise, they would not have volunteered in droves to go with the invasion of Russia. Let the Russians whine.....its good for them.
I'm no fan of Communism by any stretch of the imagination, but Hitler was a threat to the existence of civilization itself in a way that the Soviets were. There is no comparison.
Putin and his crew still don't consider the baltics as not independant countries. They call them the "wayward children" and believe its only a matter of time before they fall under russian control once again.
You would think the commies would get the message after every single country they seized in eastern europe after WW2 have broken away and told them to go to hell. All besides one, and that one is still run by a dictator.
But old habits die hard.
The Soviets were terrible. I grew up under Soviet domination -- please don't think I'm whitewashing Stalin. But Hitler was so much worse, it is inconceivable to even begin equating the two. I remember the Second World War -- civilization itself was being threatened, and we should be eternally thankful that Hitler lost regardless of the cost.
Latvia shares similar sentiments per the Russians. I don't know if the Letts have officially honored any Nazis or Nazi collaborators, but they sure don't like you speaking Russian to them.
As Germany was much smaller than Russia, it was easier to squash the former, not so easy the latter. Ended up being a deal between the west and the lesser devil that became a much greater one.
The only reason the Soviets never were, was because the United States out arms raced and out spent them till they went kerflooie (technical term). Had the United States been forced to say Uncle to Stalin and his heirs... well, I think you can see the outcome. Not much prettier than a Nazi infested world.
Growing up in Soviet Russia was terrible, but the Soviets never killed any of my family members. Hitler did. For me, there is no question who was the greater evil. That said, I am grateful for the US' efforts for freedom and democracy throughout the world, and am happy I got out when I did.
The Russians have a point, but the Russian government (especially a government headed by a former KGB officer) is not in a good moral position to protest.
I guess the guy who punched you in the nose is more odious to you personally, than the guy who didn't. But rest assured the second one was quite busy with others. Communism, thy name is purges.
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