At the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, we bring stories, reports and topics that approach one of the most important events of history. Follow a series of articles that captures the past with a reference to the present.
This month, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in the most devastating conflict that humanity has ever faced. In August, we will also commemorate the anniversary of the surrender of the Japanese Empire of 1945, and thus the end of World War II.
Now that we are considering the end of the war in Europe, we must also realize today’s tragic reality: a nationwide war that has returned to our continent. Russia’s refusal to recognize the right of his neighbor to make sovereign decisions in foreign policy, which culminated in the invasion of Ukraine, is a strong memento that historical lessons are never a matter of course.
Soviets betrayed the desire for freedom
Decisions taken after the end of World War II were to prevent the recurrence of such conflicts. The establishment of the United Nations organization and the adoption of its Charter was an establishment of a collective commitment to territorial integrity and the mate of Member States, a commitment to peaceful conflict settlement and at the same time banning the use of violence.
The American Marshall Plan then helped restore the destroyed economies of Western Europe, and Brettonwood institutions introduced economic management -based economic management in an effort to promote stability among nations. NATO – the foundation stone of transatlantic security has been protected as a guarantor of defense of Member States for more than 75 years.
Finally, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCSE), and later its successor organization for security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE) had an important role in building trust and stability, as well as in preventing conflicts and management of crises.
The wisdom of those who have shaped the post -war world is more important in these precarious times than ever. In today’s memory, however, we should not only think of the leaders of the past, but also of millions of ordinary men and women who have sacrificed themselves – many of their lives – for freedom and democracy.
Their victory was not absolute. Nazi Germany was defeated, but much of Europe remained in the grip of another repressive regime. The Soviet Union played an important role in the defeat of fascism, but their agreement with Germany (so -called. Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) led between 1939 and 1941 to divide Poland into two parts, to an unprovoked attack on Finland; And also to the illegal occupation of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.
The Soviets then introduced their own authoritarian power over half the continent, betraying the desire of those who fought for the real liberation. The words “freedom“ a „liberation“They were then marked by this reality for decades. We owe people who fought for democracy in World War II.
True that we must not forget
There were many Slovaks who, together with the Allies, fought from the air and on the ground; Many others participated in the Slovak National Uprising; And countless resistance fighters fought across Europe, after all, in Germany itself.
These men and women risk everything when they stood up to the hateful ideology of racial superiority, totalitarianism and cruelty. Their resistance helped to create the world in which we live, and left a legacy that continues to stand at our democratic values.
The struggle of our ancestors is a lesson that every generation learns again. It is worth fighting for freedom to fight regardless of the price. Those who have been trapped behind the Iron Curtain have been imprisoned for years. And unfortunately, we see the same lesson again – in Ukraine today.
Just as our predecessors have built a tyranny, we are also obliged to preserve their legacy, and to entrust the responsibility for the protection of democracy to our children. History showed us what happens when aggression is left without control. This is a truth that we must not forget.
Signatories are Ambassadors of Albania, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Croatia, Canada, Lithuania, Luxemška, Luxembourg, Germany, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Austria, Romania, North Macedonia, Slovenia, United Kingdom Swiss, Sweden, Italy, and the Embassy of Iceland.
