Seventy years ago today, and one hundred and ninety-nine years ago this coming Friday, two tragic events on an epic, even more than world-historical, scale shook Russia, and both dramatically changed the history of the world in their respective centuries. Both events started what would be known as Russia’s Fatherland Wars against the greatest superpowers of their time, who had the folly to become her overconfident invaders: Hitler’s Germany in 1941 and Napoleon’s France in 1812.
In each case, Russia had been badly underestimated, resulting in the crashing fall of both those giants, while Russia grew stronger each time, as a result of her ordeals, cured and rejuvenated by the elixir of immortality and invincibility, brewed from her heroic experiences and sustained by an unforgetful national memory.
The 22nd and the 24th of June are days of remembrance for Russia, but they should also serve as occasions for deep meditation for all those who are underestimating her in our time.
In each case, Russia had been badly underestimated, resulting in the crashing fall of both those giants, while Russia grew stronger each time, as a result of her ordeals, cured and rejuvenated by the elixir of immortality and invincibility, brewed from her heroic experiences and sustained by an unforgetful national memory.
The 22nd and the 24th of June are days of remembrance for Russia, but they should also serve as occasions for deep meditation for all those who are underestimating her in our time.
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