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A former PLA soldier hired by Russians gives a reality check on Russia-Ukraine war
YouTube ^ | 5/23/2024 | Li Jianwei

Posted on 05/23/2024 10:32:50 PM PDT by The Old Hoosier

"The Russians are stubborn and want us to continue fighting...Bro, this war is unwinnable."

(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: russia; ukraine
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To: Reverend Wright
The liberals and Left of the West have used what happened in Germany in that period as absolutely foundational to how they constructed the Post-War World. At core, the world post-WW2 is based on White Guilt for what happened. And the response has to be necessary atonement - even for the populations of Allied countries.

They've used it as a hammer to bash economic nationalism and those who advocate "Borders, Language and Culture".

61 posted on 05/24/2024 12:40:05 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Redmen4ever

” U.S. is enormous. We have 11 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and a bunch of lesser aircraft carriers we call amphibious assault ships. “


Yes, the USA has borrowed and spent huge amounts of money on what now appear to be obsolete and irrelevant weapons systems.

A terrorist group is currently conducting a naval blockade of the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and Suez Canal.

And all 11 carrier battle groups don’t seem to be able to do anything about it.

It doesn’t take much imagination to extrapolate what a country with 10,000 times the resources of the Houthis will be able to do with a naval blockade of Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the USA has the huge ongoing operational costs of 11 carrier groups, but can’t produce artillery shells, can’t produce drones in quantity, doesn’t have hypersonic weapons (N. Korea now does), and has generally turned into a trillion dollar a year military industrial complex ripoff and joke.


62 posted on 05/24/2024 12:46:09 PM PDT by Reverend Wright ( Everything touched by progressives, dies !)
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To: dfwgator

Yes, completely.


63 posted on 05/24/2024 12:47:08 PM PDT by Reverend Wright ( Everything touched by progressives, dies !)
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To: Menes
"But could you help me: where is the fascination many Anglo-Saxons with the era 1933-45 stem from?"

I think that for many, it might be because they had family members who served in the military during that time, and possibly died, and want to know more. I had two uncles who served in the U.S. Army, one from both sides of the family. The uncle from Holland died the year before I was born. My mother's only brother born in Canada, died when I was about 16. He and his wife moved to California from New York State in the 50's, and we never saw them. My parents spoke to them, but us kids really didn't know them, and it was a shame. They had no children. It wasn't until my uncle got sick and was dying that he and my aunt moved back east and lived with us until he passed in 1964. He was only 48 when he died. Nobody knew anything about his military time. Not even my mother. I've never been able to get his military records because they were destroyed in the fire that occurred in the record center in St. Louis, Missouri in 1973. He supposedly served in the China-Burma-India theater, but there are no records to verify.

I also think that perhaps because the U.S. didn't really experience any of what the people in Europe did at the time, that they possibly seek information about that period of history. I read a lot of WWII books. I'm currently finishing up a book titled "The Bunker" by James P. O'Donnell. Also "The Avengers: A Jewish War Story" by Rich Cohen...the story about the partisan fighters in the Vilna (now in Lithuania) Jewish Ghetto," and "Fugitives: The History of Nazi Mercenaries During the Cold War" by Danny Orbach. It's about the recruitment of Nazis by the CIA for counter-intelligence. I also read books on other periods of history in France, England, Canada, this country, etc. I'm also currently reading a book titled: "A Thousand Miles Up the Nile" by Amelia B. Edwards. Written during the Victorian period, she writes about her travels up the Nile by boat, the places they stop at, and the sites they see. This is a reprint, and includes several of her original paintings and sketches she made on the trip. I had to laugh when in the reprint introduction, they warned people about stereotypes made by her in the book. I do also throw a good fiction book in the mix. I like Medieval mystery series, and mysteries from other periods.

I spent many years researching two regiments that served during our Civil War. I focused on the two black regiments that were authorized by Lincoln to be raised in the north (Boston). I spent many vacations, seated at the National Archives and Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., going through military and pension records for those men, as well as skimming newspapers on microfilm, to find as much information as I could on certain topics of the war. I throughly enjoyed those days, and loved opening a new pension record, never knowing what treasure you'd find inside. And I met a lot of great people along the way. The same goes for the manuscript collections I poured over. One in particular I found at Cornell University, was a gold mine on the 55th Massachusetts Regiment, from which my screen name came from. I've moved on from the Civil War, and enjoy books on other periods of history.

Since I've gotten into reading about British history, my only regret is that I never learned Latin, French or Old English, because I would love to be able to read the documents, records, etc., from the Medieval period that are available online. I would love to be able to pour over all those rolled up scrolls sitting on the shelves on Britain's archives and libraries. The amazing thing is that so many have survived. And thankfully, there are people out there who still have an interest in learning ancient languages so that people like me will have the benefit of their knowledge.

64 posted on 05/24/2024 1:13:11 PM PDT by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
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To: The Old Hoosier

It seems the Russians are sending fodder into Ukraine. I wouldn’t be surprised if we discover Putin and Zelensky are allies. All about the $$$$


65 posted on 05/24/2024 1:18:14 PM PDT by AppyPappy (Biden told Al Roker "America is back". Unfortunately, he meant back to the 1970's)
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To: mass55th

Russians need another 1917, this time without the Bolsheviks.


66 posted on 05/24/2024 1:19:35 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Tell It Right
"I’m pretty sure he meant that Russia never won a war on their own outside their borders."

And no other country ever won a war in Russia on their own.

Hitler was delusional if he thought he would ever be able to conquer Russia, and take control of it. First of all, it's too vast. It would never have happened. Secondly, Germany was never going to be able to keep up the mass production of the military machinery it needed to continue to wage war. The allied countries outproduced both Germany and Japan when it came to mass production. Hitler himself said he would have to wage constant war to achieve his goals, and keep what he'd conquered.

Germany was never going to be able to confiscate enough oil and gas resources, nor manufacture enough synthetic gas to successfully power their war machinery in order to win WWII. Hitler bit off more than he could chew, and ended up making the people of Germany reliant on Russian energy for 70+ years.

67 posted on 05/24/2024 1:25:29 PM PDT by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
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To: Menes

My wife’s father joined the Marines to stay out of Europe because he didn’t want to kill people who looked like him. This was a common feeling in Appalachia. My father’s grandmother was a “Kuper”(Prussian) which placed him on a “list” that was created in WW1. He was in Operation Torch, served in North Africa but was sent to the Pacific before he could get into Europe.

One fascinating fact of the war was regarding coffee. Coffee disappeared in Germany when the war began because of the embargo. When German officers were captured, American interrogators would give them coffee for 2 reasons
1. It made them more loquacious
2. It showed them we could get luxuries to the front lines which meant we were unstoppable logistically.

It would amaze you how many German soldiers from WW2 are Korean War veterans. If a German soldier had a relative in America, they were allowed to emigrate. My boss’s father was a radio operator for an artillery unit compromised of German WW2 veterans. They transmitted in German which the NK/Chinese could not understand.


68 posted on 05/24/2024 1:42:42 PM PDT by AppyPappy (Biden told Al Roker "America is back". Unfortunately, he meant back to the 1970's)
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To: Redmen4ever
"We have 11 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and a bunch of lesser aircraft carriers we call amphibious assault ships. We could lose several and still win a war."

Sure. And where are you going to get the immediate replacements for those where they are needed in the world, in order to continue to wage a prolonged war? And then there's the possibility, that even more of your Navy is destroyed before being able to re-supply what has already been lost. What companies today are going to be able to, or even want to quickly re-tool their factories to produce the fighting machines that will be needed for a major world war? We could use the billions of dollars of military equipment that Biden left for the Taliban, not to mention leaving the blood of the 12 Marines he murdered.

Proxy wars are so much more desirable for those who invest in them, because you don't have to actually win, you can have endless war by simply supplying another country to fight for you. You've got no blood in the fight, and can focus on simply looking at the rise in your investment portfolio, while people are dying to make you richer than you already are.

69 posted on 05/24/2024 1:43:50 PM PDT by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
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To: mass55th

“It relates to your assertion the Russians won the war”

I never said that.

-

Here is your post 20. What you responded to in quotes.

—-

“Russia has never won a war outside its borders either.”

Funny, it sure looked like the Soviet Union’s flag flying from Hitler’s Reichstag Building in Berlin on May 2, 1945 after winning The Battle of Berlin.

—-


70 posted on 05/24/2024 1:46:42 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Reverend Wright

Yep.

Illustrates it perfectly.


71 posted on 05/24/2024 1:47:58 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: mass55th

Yes, sir, I am German. 🙂 Not from elsewhere. My screen name, after the first semi-mythical Pharao, is just due to my interest in Egyptian history.

And how fascinating and wonderful it is, that your son speaks German and has been to Germany! That’s just marvelous 😃 to read!

My familial background is mainly from the German Southwest (my phenotype is more Italian than run-of the mill German, except for my height 😀), Swabia, Baden and the Palatinate. One of my grandfathers, however, hailed from Westphalia in the North, and according to family lore, I also might have a litte Jewish and English ancestry 😀
Maybe that‘s why I am a great friend of Israel and my affinity to English literature and hymns might also come from there. I can hardly think of more elating music than „Be still my soul“ or „All Creatures of our God and King“ or „For all the Saints“ with its gorgeous melody penned by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

And it was fascinating to read how, in your travels, you have been able to retrace your ancestors and their lives‘ history, through so many parts of Europe and later North America, though it is heartbreaking to read what sorrow many of them had to live through 😢
In such moments, the hatred between nations changes back into the ugly horror which it really is 😔 May God Almighty rest their good souls.

Yes, and even the British have changed in this regard, I still remember King Charles‘s speech last year in the Bundestag on account of the centenary of the Nazi power grab. He hoped for peace and mutual understanding, and his speech was a model of excellent rhetoric and human warmth. I don’t know why many Freepers seem to detest him. After all, he is the Head of State of America‘s closest ally, and a very erudite man with a heart the size of Texas😢

And I would also like to thank you very much for your enquiry about my health. I did survive the cancer operation very well, and no cancer cells have been found in my body after that. The three tomographies showed nothing bad. Praise the Lord!

I was really blessed, since the tumor had a solid, smooth surface, which is normally not the case with cancer, which kept the malignant tissue enclosed inside. Radiation therapy was also used to deal with any malignancy in the tumor bed. Rehab is going to follow soon.

Yes, and about Britain: it is a fascinating country indeed, even without the world spanning Empire. And I agree with you, it was beneficial for the peoples in many ways, although mistakes were made, unfortunately, and after World War Two it was dissolved too hastily, perhaps.

Though I remember a conversation with an elderly Australian, a son of the Empire, whom I had asked why Britain had not held unto India for longer. He answered, if independence had not been given asap, India would have become a giant version of what Algeria became to France…

All the best for you and your dear ones, and I hope to read from you soon. It has been an utter pleasure writing to you 😊


72 posted on 05/24/2024 1:48:04 PM PDT by Menes
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To: mass55th

If Germany had ignored Greece and started earlier, they probably could have taken Moscow. Losing Moscow might have stopped Allied help to Russia because Germany could not advance any farther than Moscow due to conditions but they could intercept any shipments to the Soviets.
But nothing could have been worse than Hitler dismissing jet engines in 1939.


73 posted on 05/24/2024 1:49:24 PM PDT by AppyPappy (Biden told Al Roker "America is back". Unfortunately, he meant back to the 1970's)
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To: Menes

One of my ancestors:
Christening
19 AUG 1759
Evangelisch,Berleburg Stadt,Westfalen,Prussia


74 posted on 05/24/2024 1:50:46 PM PDT by AppyPappy (Biden told Al Roker "America is back". Unfortunately, he meant back to the 1970's)
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To: AppyPappy

Losing Moscow may have meant the end of Stalin and the Bolsheviks.


75 posted on 05/24/2024 1:53:41 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: ifinnegan

You definitely have a reading comprehension problem. Please show me, where in my original comment that you chose to quote, I ever said according to your exact words that “the Russians won the war.” Are you claiming that my saying the Russians, “after winning The Battle of Berlin” really means I said they won the “whole” war as you perceive I said?


76 posted on 05/24/2024 2:04:22 PM PDT by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
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To: AppyPappy

That is absolutely fascinating to read😀 Germans as code talkers, just like the Navajo in the USNavy!

I had no clue that there were any Germans fighting in Korea, although I knew of Germans in the Foreign Legion fighting for the French in 1950s Vietnam against the insurgents under General Giap, the victor of Dien Bien Phu.


77 posted on 05/24/2024 2:05:23 PM PDT by Menes
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To: AppyPappy

How beautiful to see😀

However, Berleburg was, in those days, not yet part of Prussia. You see, the demesne of Berleburg was ruled by a minor noble house, the Princes of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.
It was not until 1806, with the end of the Holy Roman Empire, the first German state, founded in 962 by Emperor Otto l. the Great, that Berleburg became part of the „new Duchy of Westphalia“ founded by Napoleon for his brother Jerome.

This duchy then became part of Prussia in 1815. Oh yes, it is really complicated sometimes. But the noble house of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg is still extant, the current Princess is a sister of Queen Margret of Denmark, though in present- day Germany the nobles have no special legal status anymore, they enjoy the same rights and have the same duties as any other citizen. Only their names remain.


78 posted on 05/24/2024 2:18:13 PM PDT by Menes
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To: Reverend Wright; dfwgator

I see, but I think it is preposterous: not only were the Allies not involved in the Shoah, but by fighting the Axis, they would save countless Jewish and other lives (it might have been kept under wraps while the fighting was still going on, especially because no-one really knew the gruesome details at the time, but the positive effect was there all the same).

Does the left not realize this fact? What is the matter with them?

These leftists really seem to cobble together the most ill-fitting parts in order to
substantiate their destructive ideology.

Regrettable and horrible, all of it 😔


79 posted on 05/24/2024 2:32:50 PM PDT by Menes
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To: mass55th

Just wonderful, your interests. It is such fun to talk to you.

And learning Latin, French and Old English…it‘s what historians have to do, in order to read the old sources. Furthermore, you need graphological skills to decipher them, if they haven‘t ever been edited. Greek and Hebrew are also useful if you study Ancient History and theology- in Germany, everybody studying for the priesthood or ministry, has to study Latin, classical Greek and Hebrew, the languages of St. Jerome‘s bible, of the New and the Old Testament, respectively.

Old English is what I learned when I minored in English literature. It is really amusing: if you speak Old English, i.e., the language before 1066, you can understand Old High German and vice versa.
It just so happens, that Modern German is much closer to OHG than Modern English ist to OE. Especially the phonology of German has been remarkably more constant, though ther have been significant changes in this regard, too.


80 posted on 05/24/2024 2:53:59 PM PDT by Menes
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