[Dr. Franklin]

What Putin said:
In 1939, after Poland cooperated with Hitler — it did collaborate with Hitler, you know —Hitler offered Poland peace and a treaty of friendship and alliance (we have all the relevant documents in the archives), demanding in return that Poland give back to Germany the so-called Danzig Corridor, which connected the bulk of Germany with East Prussia and Konigsberg. After World War I this territory was transferred to Poland, and instead of Danzig, a city of Gdansk emerged. Hitler asked them to give it amicably, but they refused. Still they collaborated with Hitler and engaged together in the partitioning of Czechoslovakia.

According to The Peace Treaty With Germany at Versailles, Poland's final borders were to be determined by the Allies. Poland had a dispute with Czecho-Slovakia over the Duchy of Cieszyn in Trans-Olza. The area in question had valuable coal mines and a rail junction. While the Poles were fighting the Soviets in 1920, the Allies awarded most of this to Czecho-Slovakia without a plebiscite. This was the only part of Habsburg Galicia not awarded to Poland. In 1938, after the French had refused to fight the Germans over Czecho-Slovakia, the Poles demanded it be ceded to them by the Czechs, which they did. The Germans weren't happy about it, and it can't fairly be called a partition of Czecho-Slovakia. The territory was quite small relative to the Czecho-Slovak state, and ethnically very Polish.

Putin also falsely stated that "In 1921, peace with Poland was proclaimed, and under that treaty, the right bank of the Dnieper River once again was given back to Poland." While it is true that this is what Lenin offered at the Peace of Riga, along with all of Belarus, under pressure from its Allies, Poland declined these lands. In fact, this is what Putin offered to Tusk, (minus Belarus) when he made an offer to partition Ukraine with him. This demonstrates how Putin thinks, and what boundaries he will accept of a rump Ukrainian state, but it is not historically true. Putin's history is just so much propaganda for the Russian masses. What Carlson accomplished with this interview is debatable.

[linMcHlp]

bttt

[Chad C. Mulligan]

Putin's history is just so much propaganda for the Russian masses.

Propaganda for the American masses too, who haven't been taught Modern European History, (or even American history) for the last 50 years.

Keep up the good work, Dr. Franklin!