Underlying assumptions the Second world war was the results of the First world war – its outcome document (Treaty of Versailles) “was for Germany a symbol of deep injustice.” This benefited the Nazis, who “skillfully played on these feelings, building their propaganda by promising to deliver Germany from the Versailles heritage, to restore her former power, and in fact pushed the German people into a new war”.
– Paradoxically, that directly or indirectly contributed to the Western States, primarily the United Kingdom and the United States, – Putin wrote in the article. – Financial and industrial circles very actively invested capital in the German factories producing military products.
Versailles “world order” has spawned numerous hidden conflicts and apparent conflicts, it was based on the new boundaries of European countries, randomly decorated the winners of the First world war. “Almost immediately after their appearance on the map, writes Putin, began territorial disputes and mutual claims that had become time-bombs”.
That the Munich agreement was the trigger, after which a big war in Europe became inevitable. “The division of Czechoslovakia was cruel and cynical. Munich brought down even those fragile formal guarantees, which remained on the continent showed that mutual agreement is not worth anything”, – said Putin in the article.
Mention that in the partition of Czechoslovakia together with Germany acted in Poland. While paying attention to that today European politicians, especially the Polish leaders would like to “silence” in Munich. “Why? Not only because their country then betrayed their commitments, supported the Munich agreement, and some even took part in the spoils, but because it is inconvenient to remember that in those dramatic days of 1938, only the Soviet Union stood up for Czechoslovakia,” recalls the President of the Russian Federation.
According to him, the Munich agreement showed the Soviet Union that the Western countries will solve the security issues without taking into account its interests, and when the opportunity can form an anti-Soviet front. While the Soviet Union “to the last tried to use any chance to create anti-Hitler coalition, despite the hypocritical stance of Western countries”.
– In this situation, the Soviet Union signed a nonaggression Pact with Germany, has done it the last of the countries of Europe, – he writes. – Moreover, against the background of real danger to face a war on two fronts – with Germany in the West and with Japan in the East, where already were intense battles at the river Khalkin-Gol.
Putin said and what the Soviet Union gave legal and moral assessment of the Molotov – Ribbentrop Pact. He quotes from Postanovlenie�� Of the Supreme Soviet of 24 December 1989, where the secret protocols officially condemned as “an act of personal power,” does not reflect “the will of the Soviet people, who are not responsible for this conspiracy.”
Putin also noted that other States are not so honest – “I prefer not to think about the agreements, which was signed by the Nazis and Western politicians.” Therefore, the Russian leader called on all States to intensify the process of opening its archives, the publication of previously unknown documents of the prewar and war periods, as does Russia.
Putin notices that Joseph Stalin and his entourage deserve many reasonable charges for the mass repressions, crimes committed against their own people, but they were aware of “the nature of external threats.”
“They saw that the Soviet Union trying to keep one-on-one with Germany and its allies, and act, aware of this real danger, to win precious time to strengthen the defense of the country,” writes the President.
meanwhile, Putin assured that there are no archival documents that would confirm the version about the intention of the USSR to launch a pre-emptive war against Germany. “Yes, the Soviet military leadership adhered to the doctrine that in case of aggression, the Red Army will give a fitting rebuff to the enemy, takes the offensive and will wage war in enemy territory. However, such strategic plans did not mean the intentions are the first to attack Germany,” he writes.
Now, many argue about the actions, errors, failures of the military-political leadership of the country. However, along with the huge influx of different kinds of disinformation, the Soviet leaders received and real information about the impending aggression of the Nazis, says Putin. “And in the prewar months has taken steps aimed at improving the combat readiness of the country, including the hidden part of the appeal of reservists on fees, relocation of formations and reserves from the internal military districts to the Western borders,” he explains.
the War was not sudden, was waiting for her, was ready for it, – Putin claims. But the Nazi attack was indeed unprecedented destructive power. On 22 June 1941 the Soviet Union was faced with the most powerful, mobilized and trained army in the world, which employ the industrial, economic, and military capabilities of almost all of Europe.
Against the powerful machine of the Nazis got the whole country. The President writes about the incredible courage and sacrifice of people: “For eighteen years, the Soviet people accomplished what seemed impossible, and at the front and in the rear”. So, as soon as possible in the rear has been the release of arms and ammunition, which began to come to the front in the first winter of the war, and by 1943 was exceeded by the indicators of military production of Germany and its allies.
75 years ago that ended the Great Patriotic war. Over the years, several generations have changed and political map of the world. “But why in Russia, May 9 is celebrated as the main festival, and on June 22 as if life freezes and the lump comes up to my throat?” – asked the President. And immediately answers it: because the war left a deep mark in the history of every family.
in Order to prevent the repetition of terrible tragedies, you need to analyze their causes. “And here it is crucial to rely solely on archival materials and testimonies of contemporaries, to avoid any ideological and politicized guessing”, – said Putin. It is important to “transmit to posterity the memory of that victory over Nazism was won primarily by the people of our country. It was the Soviet Union “saved the world”, he said.
– In the defeat of Nazism – that would be now trying to prove – main, decisive contribution to the Soviet Union, Red Army, – stressed Putin.
In his article the President referenced document, according to which, in General, the share of the USSR accounted for about 75 percent of all military efforts of the coalition. By mid-1944, the enemy had been expelled almost all Soviet territory. The red Army began liberating mission in Europe, and saved entire Nations, including from the horror of the Holocaust. Putin is a statement by Churchill’s message to Stalin on 27 September 1944: “It was the Russian army that tore the guts out of the German military machine…”
And we remember what the price. The Soviet Union lost a seventh of its nationals, UK – one of 127, and the United States – one of 320 people. The loss of the Soviet people in the great Patriotic war amounted to nearly 27 million people. Only during the fighting for Rzhev and Rzhev protrusion from October 1941 to March 1943, the Red Army lost, including the wounded and missing, 1 million 342 thousand 888 people. Russia will continue the painstaking work to restore the names and destinies of all the dead: soldiers of the red Army, partisans, underground fighters, prisoners of war and concentration camp inmates, civilians murdered punitive. “It is our duty,” – said the President.
All the pre-war events lined up in one fatal chain. “But, of course, the main thing that determined the greatest tragedy in the history of mankind, is a state of selfishness, cowardice, pandering to the gaining strength of the aggressor, the unwillingness of political elites to seek compromise,” Putin said.
Therefore, he says, unfair to say that a two-day visit to Moscow, the Nazi foreign Minister Ribbentrop Pact – the main causes of the Second world war. “All the leading countries in varying degrees, have their share of the blame for its beginning. Each have made fatal mistakes, foolishly believing that you can about��to itrite other, to secure unilateral advantages or to stay away from an impending global disaster,” – says Putin. For it had to pay millions of lives.
the Russian leader called for an objective assessment of history. Although noticed that many are not ready for that. “On the contrary, in pursuit of their goals, they are increasing against our country, the number and scale of information attacks, you want to make excuses, to feel guilt, accept hypocritical politicized Declaration”, – said Putin. As an example, he cited the European Parliament’s resolution approved on 19 September 2019, which directly accused the USSR along with Nazi Germany in the outbreak of the Second world war.
Such “paper,” according to Putin, are a real threat of destruction of the postwar world order. The authors of the resolution “raised his hand to the conclusions of the Nuremberg Tribunal,” he added. In this regard, the Russian leader recalled that the European integration process, which has been created including the European Parliament, was only possible thanks to the lessons learned from the past. “And those who consciously casts doubt on this consensus, destroy the foundations of the entire post-war Europe,” – says the President of the Russian Federation.
Forgetting the lessons of history inevitably results in severe retribution. We will stand firmly for the truth, based on documented historical facts, we will continue to honestly and impartially to narrate the events of the Second world war, – assured Vladimir Putin, adding that a new declassified materials used in the preparation of this article.
Vladimir Putin believes that the manifestations of historical revisionism in the West about the outcome of the Second world war are dangerous because brutally and cynically distort the understanding of the principles of peaceful development laid down at the conferences in Yalta and San Francisco. It is on a series of conferences with the participation of the USSR, USA and great Britain laid the foundations of the world, which for 75 years was not a global war, despite the acute contradictions.
And that the cold war did not turn into a third world, convincingly confirmed the effectiveness of the agreements reached by the Big three, writes Putin. – Rules of conduct agreed with the creation of the UN, has further allowed us to minimize the risks and keep the opposition under control.
Vladimir Putin has expressed hope that will soon take place face-to-face meeting of leaders of the five nuclear powers, permanent members of the UN security Council. This Russian initiative was supported by the leaders of China, France, the USA and the UK.
At the summit the Russian President expects to speak frankly about the issues of preserving peace, strategic arms control, the joint efforts of protivodeistvieAI terrorism, extremism. A separate theme – the overcoming of the crisis caused by the pandemic.
Today, the world is not experiencing the quiet times. But, based on common historical memory, we can and should trust each other, encourages Putin and other world leaders. “This will provide a solid basis for successful negotiations and concerted action for the sake of strengthening stability and security in the world, for the prosperity and well-being of all States, he writes. – Without exaggeration that this is our common duty and responsibility to the world, to the present and future generations.”
the desire to write an article about the Second world war Vladimir Putin announced in December 2019 at a big press conference, answering a question of the correspondent of “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” Kira Latukhina. She asked the President to comment on a European Parliament resolution that equates the Soviet regime with Nazism and fascism. Putin replied that totalitarianism is “reprehensible”, but “to equate the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany is the height of cynicism”. “It means people don’t know the history,” said President and promised to publish archival documents in his article.
– I will publish because I asked my colleagues to pick out my materials from the archive, – announced Vladimir Putin. – When I read certain things, it becomes absolutely clear: everything is just laid out on the years, months, almost to the day, how was the process of appeasing Hitler.
Later in his public speeches the President has repeatedly focused attention on this topic, including the Munich agreement, the role of individual European countries, primarily Poland, the outbreak of war. The article itself was published on the eve of Day of memory and grief – the Day of the great Patriotic war on 22 June 1941, and on the eve of the great Victory Parade on the red square.
