As the clock ticks over into the early morning over Europe, this is what the planet woke to 80 years ago. And 80 years later you’d never know it while our Free World takes its liberties for granted; while a hurricane bears along the US eastern seaboard whose president can’t remember whether Category 5 storms exist; and while, with the greatest irony of all, the United Kingdom—that survived Hitler’s Blitz—is about to implode.

Now, the Russians are on the march again and the war against Communism has not been won while the West trades with a China that breaks every law of peaceful coexistence.

Yet, let’s pause. Because we forget that China was at war with Japan long before this fateful 80th anniversary. Brutalised in the worst way, maybe it has every right to be paranoid while today, holding more nuclear might than brought World War Two to its close.

Or maybe the world needs to remember what did begin 80 years ago and finally say, “Just as we defeated Hitler, we hereby pledge we have no room for tyranny, any more”.

© 2019 Adam Parker.

Picture credit: © 2019 Adam Parker.

Source: War Papers, Volume 1.

Author’s copy.