In 1941, with German military might having conquered most of Europe, and Britain having been neutralised, Russia was the last piece of the puzzle Hitler needed to complete his plan for German imperial dominion over the Continent.
And today, with German tanks again rolling towards Russia, just as they did in 1941, something similar is afoot.
With the US dollar’s financial might having conquered the economic independence of the Western world, Russia represents the last piece the US needs to cement its economic hegemony over Europe.
But unlike Nazi Germany, which at least was prepared to attack Russia directly to achieve its goal, US Capitalism contrives to achieve its aims by having others fight the Russians for it.
And, to that aim, just as US motor manufacturers Ford and General Motors were “the arsenal of Nazism”* that helped the German war machine in its drive to destroy Russia, so today the US Military Industrial Complex, arms those it has inveigled into fighting this war.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and Boris Yeltsin’s elevation to the new presidency (achieved by US intervention) US Corporates, and their Russian oligarch counterparts, under the guise of installing a liberal democratic democracy, were well on track to seizing Russia’s entire asset portfolio. But then Boris blinked and appointed Putin in his place, and he stopped the rot. And so we are where we are today
In a report on US involvement with the Nazis, published in 1998 by the Washington Post, author Bradford Snell wrote that, in 1977, Nazi armaments chief, Albert Speer, told him that Hitler “would never have considered invading Poland” without synthetic fuel technology provided by General Motors.
And a U.S. Army report by investigator Henry Schneider dated Sept. 5, 1945, accused the German branch of Ford of serving as “an arsenal of Nazism, at least for military vehicles” with the “consent” of the parent company in Dearborn Michigan.
As exemplified by the 1941 statement by the then US senator Harry Truman; “If we see that Germany is winning the war, we ought to help Russia; and if (we see) Russia is winning, we ought to help Germany, and in that way let them kill as many as possible,” US Corporate Capitalism doesn’t care how it achieves its goals.
Moreover, it’s not widely known that following Germany’s defeat in WW2, the Capitalist west, having ruthlessly supressed Socialist political aspirations in Greece and Italy, gave serious consideration to turning on Russia, to defeat Communism then and there.
The plan called for a massive Allied assault on 1 July 1945 by British, American, Polish and German – yes German – forces against the Red Army. They aimed to push them back out of Soviet-occupied East Germany and Poland, give Stalin a bloody nose, and force him to re-consider his domination of East Europe.
So concerned was Winston Churchill, particularly guilty over the fate of the Poles, who had fought valiantly for the Allies during the war, that in the spring of that year he ordered his Chiefs of Staff to prepare a plan, ‘Operation Unthinkable’ to attack the Soviet Empire.
So is it any wonder that Stalin, who would have had word of such plans, lowered an “Iron Curtain” or that Russia has since sort to have buffer states between itself and the West, and yet still, even after repudiating Communism and adopting Capitalism, resists NATO expansion to its borders?
But, instead of invading Russia, the United Nations, famously described by Lord Hastings, its first Secretary General, as having been created to “keep the Soviet Union out, the Americans in, and the Germans down,” was established.
So any notion that US foreign policy is grounded in the bosom of noble principle, the defence of human rights, freedom and democracy, is self-serving window dressing designed to disguise US Capitalism’s neo-colonial aim of imposing its “rules-based” Global Order on the world.
At least that’s what I think.
Excellent piece. The people must never forget this consistent connection between the ultra-right, the C.I.A. and Wall Street, which continues today.
Armed fascists and ultraconservative zealots are who “we” use as foreign legions, to fight “our” dirty wars of conquest.
Never stop speaking the truth about Ukraine (Azov Regiment), Operation Gladio (Italy/EU), Operation Cyclone (Afghanistan), Gladio B (worldwide), Operation Timber Sycamore (Syria), the Contact Group and Benghazi Annex (Libya), Operation Condor, Operation Black Eagle, and the many others.
We let these same terrorists kill our own civilians: in Bologna, in London, in New York, in Madrid, in Manchester, in Bali. Some even brought drugs into our inner cities. It is simply a great crime.
You forgot to mention Russia (Wagner Group) a fascist outfit of convicts run by a convict.
*Hero
Yes American corporations sought to make money with plant in Germany and American financiers invested in this. And yes they wanted Germany to be strong and an enemy of the left. The same people had little time for FDR as their own President and this was their policy as ring wingers, not that of the White House.
And Truman’s comment about preventing either Germany or Russia being dominant in Europe was made because it it reflected the long held position of Britain to maintain a balance in Europe and because it made it easier to right wingers to accept lend lease to the UK ending up with Russia.
The quote “of Bismarck” appears to be another Russian invention (TPOZ etc).
https://www.stopfake.org/en/feigned-bismarck-citation-about-separating-ukraine-from-russia/
Posing weapons to Ukraine with Barbarossa on Russia, when its more like lend lease to assist the victim of the attack is cynically partisan misrepresentation. Tasslehoof (cossack).
1. You forgot to mention that Russia made tanks on GM tractor production lines.
2. Germany’s synthetic fuel was based on two chemical processes both of which were entirely German:
a) Bergius Hydrogenation invented by Friedrich Bergius
b) The Fischer-Tropsch process invented by Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch
so andrew why did glorious germany produce so little synthetic fuel…could it be like most nazi military projects it was way over complex
the USSR built tanks in tractor factories bought from the US in the 30s capitalists were keen to sell anything to the godless commies even ford and fiat sold them truck factories ‘economics talks ideology walks’ ….and they designed their own tanks often based on the christie suspension which again the yanks were more than happy to sell.
That’s been my take on it since day 1 pretty much. I thought that Europe, particularly Germany, would push back against US domination of NATO and therefore Europe but it hasn’t happened yet. Probably due to the effectiveness of the propaganda blitz plus the fact that NATO is a law unto itself and whoever controls it gets to write the rules. The US obviously has big plans for their latest adventure otherwise they wouldn’t be seriously damaging their own economy to achieve them.
Scary times.
Germany would have, they had only 1% GDP defence spending despite the NATO requirement for 2% by 2024. They went with the pipeline despite American opposition. NATO was on its last legs (it was facing a crisis in 2024 over Germany) and then Putin invaded Ukraine. I argued it would never happen, as Putin had the winning hand. And here we are.
And the US blew up the pipelines, now Europe is forced into buying their overpriced gas to make up the shortfall. I say that Europe hasn’t pushed back yet, I bet there will be some changes after the war is over and normal debate can resume without the constant propaganda.
Modern Germany, is not Nazi Germany.
Today’s Russian Federation, is not the USSR
Ukraine is no longer a Soviet Republic, and never will be again.
Trying to conflate modern Germany with Nazi Germany and the Russian Federation with the USSR to justify the invasion of Ukraine is simply wrong.
Speaking of tanks, 1250 armoured vehicles (including M1 Abrams) landed in Vlissingen for deployment in Poland and Lithuania.
https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/world/u-s-military-tanks-at-dutch-port-en-route-to-nato-frontier/ar-AA16dunQ
To bolster the 101 Parachute Division already deployed there.
Thanks for the great article. A change to read somebody who has studied the history rather than abusive squawks from a media parrot.
Germany appears to be reneging over the 2% of GDP defense spending agreement.
https://journal-neo.org/2023/01/12/the-unravelling-of-the-western-
Good article Malcolm, unfortunately for many commentators on TDB facts are secondary to desires. For a so called Leftist blog there are a hell of a lot of people who support US imperialist goals, turn a blind eye to resurgent Nazism, and ignore attempted genocide.
Then there are the unthinking types who jumped straight from Trump derangement syndrome to Putin traumatic stress disorder.
The common response when you point out facts is the remarkably stupid assumption that you support Putin or Russia. It’s redolent of telling somebody that they are about to get run over and to get out of the road, then copping abuse for stating the obvious. Fun times.
Brilliant work @ M.E. Thanks.
I wonder..? Penis enlargement procedures for all men with gun fetishes and free Ecstasy for all those who want it, and compulsory medicating for all those who don’t. If Pfizer can do it with Covid then they can fucking well do it with E. Nothing is more dangerous than a fellow feeling depressed and angry about his wee dick.
Laugh all you like but I’ve just sorted world peace.
The latest far fetched justification for the Russian imperialist’s invasion of Ukraine:
“….German tanks again rolling towards Russia, just as they did in 1941, something similar is afoot.” Malcolm Evans
In what possible universe is Ukraine requesting tanks from modern day Germany and being supplied them, analogous to the Third Reich tanks “rolling towards Russia”?
German tanks are not invading Russia. Ukraine is not Russia. And they are not ‘rolling’ but being delivered, probably on flatbed trucks to be unloaded by Ukrainians, not for ‘rolling toward Russia” but for defending Ukraine.
How can anyone get it so wrong? As a deliberate distortion of the facts it’s pretty far out there.
the marder is not state of the art…the germans state of the art vehicles are stood useless in a field not able to move…..pretty much the story of german tank design
I think you will struggle to convince many people that the Germany of today is little more than Nazi Germany reincarnated.
By the way, the Marder is not a tank. It is a armoured troop transport vehicle, much like the LAV3 of the NZDF. The main difference being the Marder has tracks.
The Germans do have tanks, being the Leopard 2, which many European countries also have. Poland and Finland would like to supply some of theirs to Ukraine. The US tank is the M1 Abrams, with the UK having the Challenger 2. Each are different in quite a number of respects. So if the Ukrainians get all 3 tank models, that will be a logistics headache. The Ukrainians already have way too much dissimilar equipment from all the major NATO countries.
Very true, training to crew modern tanks takes years, as does training to maintain. Then there’s logistics for the spares. Just sending equipment is hugely challenging. Local conditions also effect performance. For example Abrams are too large to transport by most European railways. Another example is that Russian tanks are considerably lighter, simply because anything heavier gets bogged in snow or mud.
I’d say sending tanks a waste of time, unless the West is going to send people to operate them.
yes the the marder is an APC but the author referred to it as a tank but either way they can’t get their new APCs to actually move.
the leopards the germans have in storage won’t be refurbed and ready to go till 2024….and it’s debatable after years of ‘force reduction’ if any other nato countries have any surplus in their inventories…so what’s to be done take tanks from natos few active tank units?
“If we see that Germany is winning the war, we ought to help Russia; and if (we see) Russia is winning, we ought to help Germany, and in that way let them kill as many as possible,”
Straight out of Sun Tzu.
But why is it in the article three times?
Yes – sorry about the repetition Anaru, I forgot to delete my notes as I was assembling the material. similarly, he picture of Henry Ford receiving a Nazi award also fell off. Suffice it to say, if people generally were aware of these and other similarly odious truths, which is the only reason I bother, it would spike the media’s propaganda machine and lot of lives would be saved.
“if people generally were aware of these and other similarly odious truths,” Malcolm Evans
Malcolm we are not as ignorant as you try to paint us. Those of us on the anti imperialist Left are fully aware of these ‘odious truths’.
You mention US imperialism industrial collaboration and support for the German Nazis during the war.
What you didn’t mention is that it didn’t stop there.
In the 1960s Ford and GM received over $30 million in compensation from the US government for the damage done to their German factories in US air raids.
That is the nature of imperialism.
Where we differ, is that you refuse to admit that the Russian Federation is an imperialist state. And instead swallow without question Kremlin disinformation and war propaganda and lies. That Ukraine has been committing genocide in the Donbas against ethnic Russians is a proven lie.
That Ukraine is a fascist state is a proven lie.
That US missiles are being placed on the Ukraine border with Russia is a lie.
That German tanks are rolling toward Russia is just the latest in the long list of pro-war lies.
They are not German tanks they are Polish tanks that happened to have been German made. German tanks are not rolling toward Russia, Polish tanks are being delivered to Ukraine at Ukraine’s request for Ukraine’s defence against the Russian imperialist aggressor.
The thing is that in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland, Russia also invaded Poland at the same time, only from the east.
WW2 was declared on the pretext of defending Polands sovereignty yet at the end of WW2 it was handed over to the Russians.
also why was war not declared on Russia for invading Poland?
Remind me again who the bad guys are.
If I was Germany, I’d be worried round about now. Why?
If the Russians fire up their 8,000 tanks shortly, once they start rolling they might not stop until they arrive in Berlin!
Whats that saying about history repeating itself?
Germany to be next for the denazification treatment?*
“If the Russians fire up their 8,000 tanks shortly, once they start rolling they might not stop until they arrive in Berlin!” Denny Paoa
*Danazification; Russian imperialist code word for regime change.
How come NZ never gets free tanks or jet planes?
Thanks Malcolm, the saving grace amidst the Open Source Russophobic incitement posted on this site.
So after all that lengthy one sided distorted BS, it isn’t Germany intending on sending Leopard tanks to assist Ukraine in their stuggle for their homeland by an aggressor. It is Poland and Finland proposing to send their Leopards. They are simply following protocol, and some would say curiosity, and requesting permission by the supplier.
Polish owned German made battle tanks were supplied to Ukraine by Poland. Not Germany.
The German government has refused to supply Ukraine with battle tanks.
The German Green Party have spoken against the German government for not giving Ukraine battle tanks to defend themselves from Russian aggression.
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-war-recasts-germany-green-party-russia/
From doves to über-hawks: Ukraine war recasts Germany’s Greens
Governing party takes another step away from pacifist roots.
“….The shift is the latest chapter in the relatively short history of a party that grew out of environmental, pacifist and anti-nuclear movements in the late 1970s and early 1980s…
“In this situation, where people are defending their lives, their democracy and their freedom, Germany and also the Greens must be ready to deal with the reality — and this reality is a reality that must reject an aggressor,” …..
“The people in Ukraine are also dying for freedom and democracy, to be not overrun by armed force,”….
The Greens’ stance is striking a chord across Germany, too. Habeck, who is also at the forefront of efforts to wean Germany off its dependency on Russian energy,….
Grasping at straws to justify the Russian Federation invasion of Ukraine.
Bizarrely conflating Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union with the Russian Federation invasion of Ukraine?
Confusing Poland supplying Ukraine with battle tanks with Germany supplying Ukraine with battle tanks?
All to make a case for Russian Federation, invasion, atrocity, occupation and war.
If you have to exaggerate and lie and conflate and stretch the facts to make your case. You don’t have a case.
A brief history of blatant lies that justify invasion and war and mass murder:
Iraq has weapons of mass destruction.
US missiles are being placed on the Ukraine border with Russia
German tanks are rolling toward Russia
Nazi Germany and modern Germany actions are “similar”
Ukraine is a nazi state.
I think the problem here Malcolm is that you can’t accept the fact that the Russian Federation is just another capitalist country, with the same need of all capitalist countries to expand their economy. by fair means or foul.
And so you have to keep stretching the facts to fit your narrative that the Russian Federation is not an aggressive expansionist capitalist power.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2023/01/18/guest-blog-pat-odea-empire/
I suppose mistaking the Russian Federation for a benign non-predatory capitalist power is one thing.
But using the same accusation, of ‘fascist’ the Zionists have used to annex and occupy Palestinian lands, to annex and occupy Ukrainian lands?
In the fall of 2015, when the Palestinian Authority claimed that the State of Israel posed threats to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, public attention in Israel turned again to Haj Amin al Husseini, the former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, a collaborator with Nazi Germany and the leader of Palestinian nationalism before and immediately after World War II…
Some Palestinian and Ukrainian nationalists collaborated with the German Nazis during World War II is fact.
To use this fact to beat modern Ukrainians and Palestinians around the head with today, is unjust.
What’s with that?
https://www.jstor.org/page-scan-delivery/get-page-scan/43922000/0
NOT TRUE!
……German tanks again rolling towards Russia, just as they did in 1941….
By Malcolm Evans -January 13, 2023
STILL NOT TRUE!
Despite Ukraine’s pleas, Germany hasn’t decided on sending in-demand battle tanks
Tom Vanden Brook
USA TODAY
Published 12:57 p.m. ET Jan. 20, 2023 l Updated 10:21 a.m.ET Jan. 23
…..The United States has not agreed to Ukraine’s request for U.S. Abrams tanks, citing its need for maintenance and jet fuel. Western allies support sending German-made Leopard tanks, which run on diesel fuel. However, Germany has not agreed to send Leopards, or to permit allies like Poland who operate them, to send the tanks to Ukraine.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/01/20/ukraine-wont-get-german-leopard-tanks/11089177002/
Finally!
https://news.yahoo.com/putin-lackeys-lose-minds-over-143837232.html
Putin Lackeys Lose Their Minds Over Ukraine Getting Battle Tanks
Allison Quinn
Thu, January 26, 2023 at 3:38 AM GMT+13
They lost their minds long before that.
According to these lunatics, the de-nazification of Germany, ie regime change, by force would be “legitimate”
……..The Russian Embassy in Berlin was among the first out of the gate after the news broke—offering a bizarre, if not deranged, take: “Berlin’s decision signifies the unequivocal refusal of the Federal Republic of Germany to recognize historical responsibility to our people for the terrible, timeless crimes of Nazism,” Russian Ambassador Sergei Nechayev said in a statement.
The statement went on to say the tanks would also put an end to “postwar reconciliation between Russians and Germans” and “take the conflict to a new level of confrontation.”
Kremlin mouthpiece Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of RT, joined Russian diplomats in offering up far-fetched Nazi comparisons.
“After a flogging by Washington, Germany will send 14 tanks to Ukraine. Closer to summer, deliveries of gas chambers are also expected,” Simonyan tweeted.
TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov called European leaders “Nazi scumbags” and argued that the delivery of Leopard tanks to Ukraine makes all of Germany a “legitimate” military target for Russia.
He claimed Germany has “forgotten its historical guilt” and must pay for it….
The quickest way to end this bloody aggression is to supply Ukraine with all the weapons they need to drive the Russian colonialist imperialist aggressor back to their border.
Comments are closed.