OPINION:
I read with interest the piece reminiscing over the meeting of American and Soviet forces on the Elbe in 1945 (“When Americans and Soviets were comrades-in-arms,” Web, April 2). Instead of looking at that meeting of our forces as a discrete, static event, some historical context may be useful. Perhaps if the Soviets had not invaded Poland with Germany and proceeded to provide material support to the Nazi war machine, assisting Hitler in avoiding the British naval blockade, such a historic meeting may never have been necessary.
It is also relevant to look at what happened after April 25, 1945. While the United States and most of our allies fought in Europe, Africa and the Pacific to restore freedom to occupied territories, the Soviets fought to replace Nazi occupation with their own tyranny. To our present allies in the Baltics, Central Europe, Finland, Japan and especially Hungary, this is no mere footnote of history.
The meeting on the Elbe has been unsuccessfully used as a prop to enable a dialogue with the Russians after the Cold War. It has always been a stretch but now the lack of common interests is all too apparent. In the spirit of this event, Russian participants in a recent meeting of the bilateral Elbe Group issued nuclear threats against NATO and the Baltic States.
In his speech announcing the dissolution of the Soviet Union, President Mikhail Gorbachev commented to the Soviet people, “Someday our common efforts will bear fruit and our nations will live in a prosperous, democratic society.” While this fruit has grown in much of Eastern Europe, for Russia these words are just as relevant and unrecognized in 2015 as they were in 1991.
Given Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine, our current policy on military engagement should be based on current realities rather than on a fleeting, romantic moment from long ago.
Perhaps Victory in Europe would more accurately be celebrated on Dec. 26.
JEFFREY J. KRUPKA
Moscow
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