Uncomfortable Parallels: Hitler And Putin

Hopefully, history will not repeat itself. But in view of recent events in Ukraine, especially the annexation of Crimea, one is reminded of some ominous parallels nearly 80 years ago, when Adolf Hitler annexed Austria.

That annexation in 1938 bears close resemblance to Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Crimea in 2014:

    ■  In both cases, the alleged repression of a shared ethnic group was used to foment unrest and rally support for the takeover agenda.

    ■  In both cases, a carefully stage-managed popular referendum was held and, in both cases, its ultimate outcome was strongly in favor of annexation.

It almost seems that Putin took a page out of Hitler’s book when he described Crimea’s annexation as a “homecoming.” Hitler had welcomed Austria “home” in the same way (Heim ins Reich).

National and personal humiliation

These remarkable similarities invite a comparative look at the principals, Vladimir Putin in 2014 and Adolf Hitler in 1938.

Putin had served the Soviet Union as a KGB officer in East Germany around the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. It must have been deeply humiliating to him to witness the dissolution of the Soviet republics and Soviet dominated countries and their quick alignment with the West.

Thirteen countries around Russia, from Bulgaria to Estonia, with a combined population of 120 million, not only joined the European Union, but also became members of NATO.

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