“It would be a wonderful thing for all of humanity if both peoples would renounce force against each other forever. The German people are ready to make such a pledge.” — Adolph Hitler —

Winter – 2021 – Washington D.C. – As President Donald Trump leaves the White House and is replaced by Joseph Biden, our enemies, friends, and acquaintances abroad are relieved. Even though half the nation admires him while the other half does not, it cannot be disputed that during his presidency countries around the world feared the United States and our commander in chief. Now, they are free to test the strength of our divided nation.

Summer – 2021 – Central Europe – Russia begins to form a large military build-up amassing 190,000 troops along with tanks, missiles, aircraft, and heavy artillery along the border of the Ukraine; an ally of the United States.

February 24, 2022 – Former Soviet KGB agent who controls Russia, Vladimir Putin, is a strong man who was indoctrinated with communism and empire building by his mentors and superiors when the Soviet Union was a super power. He is a bully who only respects strength and takes advantage of weakness. Over the past few months, he has created “Soviet Russia.”

Knowing that the United States will not send troops, he presents a false reason to invade the Ukraine. He denies that the Ukraine is an independent country and falsely accuses the country of being dominated by neo-Nazis. A similar tactic was used by Adolph Hitler in 1939 when he gave the command to invade Poland.

The invasion begins with a barrage of missile launchings and airstrikes throughout the Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv. Then, the Soviets unleash a large ground invasion from multiple directions. This is the largest conventional military attack on a European state since World War II. It also triggers Europe’s largest refugee crisis since that war with over 3.7 million Ukrainians leaving the country, and millions more fleeing their homes.

Meanwhile, the invasion is widely condemned internationally. The United Nations General Assembly adopts a resolution which condemns it and demands a full withdrawal. The International Court of Justice orders Russia to suspend military operations, and the Council of Europe expels Soviet Russia.

Various countries, including the U.S., provide minimal humanitarian and military supplies to the Ukraine. Protests occur around the world. Russian citizens who oppose the brutality are met with mass arrests and increased media censorship, including banning the terms “war” and “invasion”. Numerous companies withdraw their products and services from Russia. The International Criminal Court opens an investigation into allegations of Russian military war crimes in the Ukraine.

However, the condemnations, protests, well written resolutions, token support from allies, investigations, and orders from international courts do not slow the Soviet invasion and occupation of Ukraine. A bully will always seek to harm others until someone gathers the courage to hit him in the face.

Late March – 2022 – Brave Ukrainian troops continue to fight a superior force that is occupying their homeland. The Ukrainians are alone and losing this war.

While there are various opinions regarding why this invasion took place, history suggests that a piece of land and the waters surrounding it could provide the answer.

The Crimea is a peninsula on the north shore of the Black Sea in the Ukraine. In 1941, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union (which the Ukraine was forced to join) because he needed the vast oil fields located in the Crimea in order to fuel his tanks, bombers, and other weapons of war.

Putin does not have significant oil reserves in Soviet Russia nor the patience to deal with Middle Eastern oil cartels. By invading and occupying the Ukraine, he can secure the oil that will fuel his military.

But, there is hope. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) recently revealed the existence of armed battle groups in Europe and announced that it was doubling the number of countries in Eastern Europe where it has battle groups. 

The new NATO battle groups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have joined similar forces in Baltic countries and Poland.

A little more than a quarter of all troops under direct NATO command are now in Poland, which shares a large border with the western part of the Ukraine. An additional 120,000 troops from Poland’s military are ready to engage Soviet troops.

The people of Poland still remember how the policy of appeasement devastated their country on September 1st, 1939. Unfortunately, the United States remains on the sidelines as this war continues to spread and escalate.