Reply #3: Yes it is an excellent story except [View All]

for ignoring the duplicity of the German's. I suppose the arguement can be made that Russia and Germany should have both been our enemie's at the same time. Province gave England an unlikely ally. Hitler invaded Russia.

The fact is, Churchill was not sure of turning Hitler back in 1939. The attack on Great Britian, the assault on population centers was devastating. Allowing Soviet Russia to combat Hitler's land armies alone for three years was Churchill's goal.

Stalin was a dictator just like Hitler. The difference between Russia and Germany was that Germany declared war on England and then the USA.
I think Churchill and Rossevelt had good reason to allow Russia to bear the brunt of the war. Lying to the people is an exercise in prudent politics sometimes. As terrible as the Katyn Forest Massacre was Hitler was just as bad. Worse even. Stalin was decapitaing a strong military force by killing the officers. Hitler just decapitated.

It bothers me that this story is beening used to denounce Liberals on Frre Republic and to compare todays Democratic Party to Stalin's Iron fist. There are no clean hands among the Nations that fought WW2.

Interestingly enough this article does not provide much backdrop to the climate in Europe at the time. And less we forget that we did recruit Hitlers Eastern spy network and begin to isolate Russia imediatly after Hitlers demise. The Hitler apparatus was transplanted on American soil with many Nazi's moving to the United States. I find it deplorable that we allowed the Cold War to drag on after Stalin's death. To many oppurtunities were lost after Stalin's death that could have curbed the arm's race of the Fifties and sixties.

For fairness:

SOME ISSUES OF THE NEW YORK TIMES
DEALING WITH THE ACTIONS OF POPE PIUS XII ON BEHALF
OF JEWS AND OTHER VICTIMS OF THE NAZIS

SEPTEMBER OF 1939:
Following the outbreak of the war at the start of the month, the
newspaper has articles and editorials this month dealing with the
disclosures by the Vatican of Nazi atrocities against Jews and non-Jews in
Poland.

JANUARY 23, 1940:
"Vatican Denounces Atrocities in Poland"
"Jews and Poles are being herded into separate ghettos,
heremetically sealed and pitifully inadequate for the economic subsistence
of the millions destined to live there."

JANUARY 24, 1940:
"Vatican Amplifies Atrocity Reports / Weight of Papacy Put Behind
Exposure of Nazi Excesses in Poland."
"Poland's Agony" (editorial on same day):
"Now the Vatican has spoken, with authority that cannot be
questioned, and has confirmed the worst intimations of terror which have
come out of the Polish darkness."

JANUARY 29, 1940:
"Memorandum Presented to Pope"
"Mass Shootings in Poland Laid to Nazis by Cardinal"

MARCH 14, 1940:
Action by Pope in meeting Nazi Foreign Minister:
"Jews' Rights Defended"

DECEMBER 25, 1941:
Editorial speaks of Pope:
"a lonely voice"

AUGUST 27, 1942:
In article, "Vichy Seizes Jews; Pope Pius Ignored," it is stated:
"These arrests are continuing despite appeals to Marshal Henri Philippe
Petain . . . by leading Catholic clergymen, with the support of the
Pope."

DECEMBER 25, 1942:
Editorial speaks of Pope:
"a lonely voice"

DECEMBER 4, 1943:
Speaking of Vatican:
"Denounces Decision to Intern and Strip All Jews in Italy"