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Aviation enthusiasts are currently watching
the Masters of the Air series, produced
by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. This
monumental work is a celebration of human
courage in its many forms. And a reminder
that without effort, bravery and self-sacrifice,
there is no freedom. Thousands upon
thousands of young men left their homes and
families living in peace to fight for others who
were not so fortunate.
Of course, even in the USA at that time there
were people who opposed any involvement
of their country in the war in Europe, and the
American “I-wanna-peace” fools of the time
even marched in New York on July 7, 1941, with
signs saying: “Why not Peace with Hitler?” or
“Arm Britain and prolong the War”, when the
fate of the United Kingdom hung in the balance.
Does that remind you of anything? We hear and
read similar arguments today from the mouths
of those contemporary and domestic "I-wanna-
peace” fools. Fortunately, back then, no one
took them very seriously, whereas today this
extremely dangerous attitude resonates with
many politicians.
Personally, the phrase “I want peace” strikes
me as the cry of a small child who also cries
out without thinking “Mommy, I want...” One day
it’s a car toy, the next it’s an ice cream, he just
wants it. He doesn’t understand, but he wants.
A more mentally mature individual would
rather use the expression “I wish for peace”.
Because that’s the way it is, of course - nobody
sane wants war. I've experienced it myself to
some extent, and I wish for peace all the more.
But there is a difference between real
peace and a humiliating slaughter that has
the “advantage” of not being fired upon you,
because you calmly let the target country being
eliminated instead of help and assist it ... And
"wanting peace" at the cost of suffering and
enslavement of another nation is extremely
immoral and selfish.
I am, of course, talking about the most
terrible conflict in Europe since the Second
World War. The war in Ukraine. The Russians
have been massaged for decades by what
Timothy Snyder called the politics of eternity in
his book The Way to Unfreedom. It is a practice in
which the Russians constantly look to the past,
in particular to their victory over Nazi Germany.
They have no scruples about appropriating the
whole of it and intend to immortalize it as their
greatest achievement. They tactfully gloss
over the enormous material aid from the USA,
which included practically everything from
butter to gunpowder to trucks or fighter and
bomber aircraft. These supplies cost the lives
of many people who transported the aid to the
then Soviet Union. Nor does the Russian mind
take much notice of their merits.
And then there are those “Masters of the
Air” and their devastating effect on German
war production and morale. Not to mention the
number of German forces tied up in operations
in Western Europe after the landings. Lately,
a portion of the population has forgotten or
is unwilling to admit it. I remember in 1990
when we were preparing the first tribute to
American soldiers in Pilsen and a communist
propaganda confused flight engineer (I was
then flying as a pilot) asked me angrily, “How
many of them died here in Europe, huh?”
As if perhaps the number of casualties was
a measure of merit... He didn’t understand
that the Americans, unlike the Russians, have
always valued human life and therefore always
try to fight to minimize casualties. To this day
it is evident on the Ukrainian battlefield that
even the life of a Russian does not mean much
to a Russian. Let alone the life of a person of
another nationality...
I haven’t seen a minute of the new series yet.
As with many others, I’ll wait until it’s all out,
so I don’t have to wait a whole week for a new
episode. Then I think I’ll have a little marathon.
And in doing so, I’ll mentally praise the human
courage that gives us the strength to stand up
to evil, straighten our backs, and not allow our
own destruction. Even at the cost of effort and
sacrifice. Because peace and the prosperity
that goes with it has never been, is not and will
not be for free.
WANT OR WISH? NOT THE SAME…
Text: Richard Plos
INFO Eduard122
March 2024