Britain and France did nothing when the aggressor of the 30’s annexed Austria as they were German speaking people anyway.
Hitler re-entered the Rhineland. ironically, after hosting the Winter Olympic Games.
Then Czechoslovakia. The weak-kneed western world did very little, but they did draw a RED LINE at Poland.
Then the Nazi’s rolled over Poland.
The rest is history. The little military genius and community organizer lost, of course, but it was bloody hell.
Oh, yeah. And then Stalin made a pact with Hitler to divvy up Poland should war begin. But of course, the big talking fascist community organizer of the day already had plans to stab Stalin in the back.
All very true, and now we’re seeing how Putin operates.
He stirs up trouble in a nation or an area he covets, claims “Oh, ethnic Russians are practically being lynched in the streets! We must do something!” and them - BOOM - in roll the tanks.
I’ve seen this movie before. That the Western world seems so oblivious to it is frightening.
Not so much in my little part of the world, fortunately; the Czechs are all too familiar with this ruthless game Putin is playing because they’ve been the victim of it themselves. Even young Czechs, whom I teach - 18 to 20 year olds - know enough of history to say “Putin is playing right out of Hitler’s playbook” so at least there’s some people still left that understand the possible ramifications.
Of course, these same students will point out that Hitler didn’t have a nuclear arsenal to back him up, so it kind of changes things. But at least they recognize what they’re seeing.