Our Leaders Are Once Again Ignoring Lessons from History, Says John Robson
Commentary
Heading towards Berlin! This battle cry rings true, but our leaders are too preoccupied with editing delusional press releases, causing them to miss out on history. It often passes them by, rolling over both them and us.
In an article in the National Post on May 13, Joe Roberts emphasized that “The allies could never have won the Second World War by making clear they would stop short of Berlin.” He drew a historical analogy with Israel’s push into Rafah, aiming for a “complete and uncompromising” victory over Hamas. While historical what-if scenarios are complex yet crucial, his statement holds true.
If you’re questioning why Berlin is relevant here, it’s one of those historical analogies that hold no value for politicians who are unaware of which side the Soviets were on in World War II, the events of the conflict, or the timeline. Nevertheless, in the summer and fall of 1918… hold on, our leaders interrupt. That was World War I, wasn’t it?
The Allies agreed to an armistice that led to peace. This left many Germans believing they hadn’t lost the war but were betrayed by the Jews. Even the Kaiser and Hitler later discussed using poison gas to exterminate that group.
In World War II, the Allies sought “unconditional surrender” to compel Nazis, Fascists, Imperial Japanese, and their supporters to face the consequences. It was a challenging road, culminating in the use of two atomic bombs before Japan conceded defeat. Our foes are often more fanatical than rationale, a lesson that is frequently overlooked.
