Nazi propaganda poster made for the Reichskommissariat Ukraine with the portrait of Hitler and the inscription reading in Ukrainian language “HITLER THE LIBERATOR”
The Invasion of Russia was not fought solely by Germans. Without the additional regiments/battalions of Eastern European countries, Hitler may have reconsidered invading Russia.
There were the Finns (who stopped at their previous WWI borders), the Hungarian Second Army, the Romanians, until 1944. Bulgaria tried to have it both ways. They did token offense actions against those who fought against the Germans in country against the Fatherland Front and declared neutrality in 1944. Yugoslavia while not ‘officially’ Axis or Allied, was an in-between and having a civil war during WWII during that time.
And then there was Ukraine:
Before the German invasion, Ukraine was a constituent republic of the USSR, inhabited by Ukrainians with Russian, Polish, Jewish, Belarusian, German, Romani and Crimean Tatar minorities. It was a key subject of Nazi planning for the post-war expansion of the German state and civilization.
During the military occupation of Ukraine by Nazi Germany, a large number of Ukrainians chose to cooperate with the Nazis. Reasons for this generally included resurgent Ukrainian nationalism, aspirations for Independence and widespread anger and resentment against the Russians over the Holodomor, which ocurred only a few years before. These were coupled with rampant racism towards other ethnic groups (such as Jews, Tatars, Roma peoples and Poles) as well as a prevailing sentiment of anti-Semitism. However, the absence of Ukrainian autonomy under the Nazis, mistreatment by the occupiers, and the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians as slave laborers, soon led to a rapid change in the attitude among the collaborators.
They couldn’t or didn’t find one political will and it appears still haven’t. There are some that do reenactments, much like those in the US do with the US Civil War, but with a difference; they portray Nazis and are considered heroes. A Huffington Post article about it can be found here:
The battlefields in Yugoslavia and the Ukraine were fluid at best and were a complete chaotic mess at worst.
What has followed has reverberated through the decades. Western Ukraine is for a European alliance, and Eastern and Southern for a Russian alliance. Still divided after centuries, the people of Ukraine cannot get past ethnicities and politics, they fight each other. Yet, they want one country. How they overcome such a dispute, division is an impossible task without a division of Ukraine which they don’t want either. Russia sits in a position in all of this, perhaps forgiving, but not forgetting WWII and the depravations brought about by their ‘neighbors’.
With centuries of historical war, skirmishes, destruction, borders drawn and redrawn, they need a King Solomon.
Categories: Eurasia, Europe, Germany, History, Russia, Ukraine, World history
World News Forum 
When one delves into current political nuances, we can often find historical views dragged into the current politics.
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Once again, you are absolutely correct, Ecantados. It’s one of the reasons we study history. The past is the key to understanding the present. Historical perspective is indispensable to fully appreciating the significance of current world news events. 🙂
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With Europe/Eastern Europe, they have a thousand Years of history and they are Still tribal which the US should consider in any foreign policy, Not counting that they figure we’re just babies in knowing…. au courant
If we consider the history IQ of some of our elected officials, no doubt they are right since their view of history is limited to their state’s or less.
♥♥ my editor 🙂
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Tribalism is a human thing. It’s why people can be passionate–almost to the point of insanity–about a local sports team. Nationalism is just another name for tribalism too. It’s hard to find a culture that doesn’t have its tea party…er…I mean, Nazi types.
Speaking of which, you might appreciate this: Is the U.S. Backing Neo-Nazis in Ukraine?
The funny thing is for Putin’s regime to accuse Ukraine of being under the sway of fascism. Who is it blaming all of Russia’s economic ills on foreigners? Why, it’s Putin the Impotent, of course. Poor bastard. He isn’t even original.
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