Arguably, the greatest and dumbest double-cross in history

I refer to the 'German/Soviet Non-Aggression Pact' of 80 years ago, on which subject, Mr. Victor Davis Hanson writes, succinctly and shrewdly, at the National Review.  It is perhaps the greatest example of a duplicitous double-cross that at the time was considered to be a total world disaster but which turned out in the end to be a world saviour!  It all seemed like a Grand Strategic master-stroke to the two villains concerned, Hitler and Stalin but, alas for them, it turned out to be the sort of "cunning plan" that Laurel and Hardy might have dreamt up!

Yes, it set Hitler free to concentrate all his efforts in swallowing western Europe and providing a free run for him to take out the British once and for all, helped, of course, by massive supplies sent to him by his "new best friend", Joe Stalin!  At the time, the only grit in the deal was that the Japs, who had been attacking Russia confident that Stalin would have to keep his army facing West, suddenly realised that Hitler had dropped them in it and that their assaults on Eastern Russia would have to be scaled back as the massive Russian army was left free to manouvre.  As 'VDH' puts it:

Japan quickly withdrew from its losing Russian war. In time it signed its own non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union, in April 1941 — ironically, just months before Hitler’s planned Operation Barbarossa, the massive invasion of Russia.

Simply too, too delicious!  Instead, the silly 'Ninjas' went south and attacked America - BIG MISTAKE!

The only lesson to be learned, I suppose, is that these rough, tough, allegedly crafty dictators steeped in the arts of real-politik, are actually just as dim, if not dimmer, than the democratic dimwits we elect to office!

 

 

Comments

[JK]

https://havechanged.blogspot.com/2019/07/order-no-227.html

"Too delicious" you say David?

Well hows about too too delicious?

Oh how the tables can turn in a mere 15 months span!

[Malcolm Pollack]

"Instead, the silly 'Ninjas' went south and attacked America - BIG MISTAKE!"

... a lesson that our Democrats have yet to learn.