Step by step, I have arrived at the conviction that the aims of Communism in Europe are sinister and fatal. At the Nuremberg Trials, I, together with my Russian colleague, condemned Nazi Aggression and Terror. I believe now that Hitler and the German People did not want war. But we, {England}, declared war on Germany, intent on destroying it, in accordance with our principle of Balance of Power, and we were encouraged by the 'Americans' around Roosevelt. We ignored Hitler's pleading, not to enter into war. Now we are forced to realize that Hitler was right. He offered us the co-operation of Germany: instead, since 1945, we have been facing the immense power of the Soviet Empire. I feel ashamed and humiliated to see that the aims we accused Hitler of, are being relentlessly pursued now, only under a different label.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker now sees the aims of communism as dangerous, believing that the war against Hitler was misguided and that today’s Soviet-like power continues the same threats.
- In plain terms
- He thinks the war against Hitler was a mistake and that current powers repeat the same dangerous goals.
- What can you take from it?
- Question the motives behind political alliances and wars.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What evidence supports his claim about Hitler’s intentions?
- How do we assess the morality of wartime decisions?
Another view
The view oversimplifies complex historical causes and motivations.
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