Russia's Victory Day parade

[Bjoern]

It's highly doubtful that Germany would've invaded Poland if Russia would 've garanteed its border like France and the UK on the other side. Russia paid an enormous price in lives for the greed of its leadership in the first place.

I'm pretty sure Hitler would have invaded anyways. There was an unpaid bill for both the major players in Poland, namely the loss of territories for the Reich after the treaty of Versailles in 1919 and the loss of the Russo-Polish war in the early 1920s for the Soviet Union.

Actually the pact was born out of the necessity for the Reich to acquire a strong partner to get resources from (for the time being). The time before, ironically, relations between the two big countries were quite good, with the Russians even actively *seeking* closeness to the Reich (despite the latter's active anticommunist activities) as a trade partner.
Also don't forget that the Soviet Union served as a training and R&D ground for the german military right into the 1930s (until Hitler officially broke restictions imposed by Versailles).

So either way, maybe in an fly of appeasement, Hitler offered Stalin a chance for revenge when they drew the borders between their spheres of influence over Poland.
The more content your friend is with you, the less he will expect your backstab later which can give you a *huge* advantage.

 

[gajit]

I was just thinking the same :ernae:

 

[deathfromafar]

All I can say is that for one, I am glad Russia made such a gesture. My feelings are we should reciprocate. Last but not least, the most important part of the Victory was that we stopped the Axis Powers and restored Peace. Remembering our History gives us hope we never have to repeat it!

 

[Bjoern]

I guess all sides learned their lessons from that war and that's the most important thing.

 

[Ken Stallings]

I guess all sides learned their lessons from that war and that's the most important thing.

A very wise observation!

Ken

 

[Ken Stallings]

All I can say is that for one, I am glad Russia made such a gesture. My feelings are we should reciprocate. Last but not least, the most important part of the Victory was that we stopped the Axis Powers and restored Peace. Remembering our History gives us hope we never have to repeat it!

Another wise observation!

I endorse your desire. I would like to see all the allied nations have these memorial parades using active service military forces from each of the allied nations. Perhaps also, it would be good to have military forces from the three Axis Powers participate also. It would be the ultimate expression that wounds have healed and more importantly that we have learned the lessons so vital to be learned.

Ken

 

[Bjoern]

Perhaps also, it would be good to have military forces from the three Axis Powers participate also. It would be the ultimate expression that wounds have healed and more importantly that we have learned the lessons so vital to be learned.

It doesn't need a military parade to do that. The signs are everywhere else, e.g. Germany donating used military hardware to Poland, two thirds of the former axis firmly integrated into the EU, pupil exchanges between german and french schools (I took part in one in 10th grade; was very nice), etc...