Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: spankalib; HomeAtLast
Indeed. This
There is no universal answer to the questions of existence and behavior. Each civilization has its truth and its gods
is indeed both false and smacks of existentialism. HomeAtLast, I apologize for being rude and clueless.
31 posted on 06/16/2013 6:03:51 PM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies ]


To: annalex

You are forgiven :)
As to Venner lumping WW1 and WW2, I find it arbitrary and strained. The Great War was decisively ended — with the world in a shambles — when Germany surrendered, else there would have been no excessively punitive reparations imposed by the clear victors.
One could as well — in fact, better — call them Bismarck’s Wars, though he died before either of them, and the Kaiser was certainly hostile to him. Bismarck was the single most responsible individual for the 20th century German nation. For all his differences with Wilhelm II, German militarism was born in Bismarck’s head; for all his denunciation of socialism, he built the first modern welfare state.
Nevertheless, history needs to keep some things simple — like when a war begins and ends. I don’t begrudge any foggy and pretentious academic, such as Venner, his perspective on the causes and the historic currents; life’s complicated, we get that; but he should not presume to rearrange the furniture.
Incidentally, I would highly recommend a book titled “The Mind of Germany,” by Hans Kohn. It explores the philosophical underpinnings of modern Germany, and how they came to the disaster of World War II.


34 posted on 06/16/2013 7:02:58 PM PDT by HomeAtLast
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies ]

To: annalex

You’re a good egg, anna ;)


42 posted on 06/17/2013 4:06:28 AM PDT by spankalib ("I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson