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The West Remembers Fall of Hitler. What should We Do?

On the Record

by Shah AMS Kibria
While Europe celebrates the fall of Hitler and Allied victory, the rest of the world can hardly sit back in comfort and remain complacent about the potential threat posed by doctrines similar to Nazism and Fascism. These vicious doctrines are often inseparable from autocracy and racism and are based on prejudice and hatredTHE Western World is commemorating in full splendour the fiftieth anniversary ol the fall of Hitler. I said, the Western World, because the event is hardly causing any ripples in Asia. Africa or La fin America.
Of course many countries in these continents were directly or indirectly involved in the war against Hitler but there is little emotional involvement in recalling the event. In those days Aiost of them were under colonial rule and had no say in the matter and some of them, such as India even revolted against the British and launched the famous 'Quit India* movement in 1942.
It was an awkward moment for the British Raj. Though the movement was ruthlessly suppressed it certainly hastened the end of the Empire. Half a century has dimmed the memory of these anti-colonial struggles and today former colonies are taking part in the celebrations as free nations without. It seems any rancour Even the President Bangladesh powerless though he is. has flown to London to join the glittering state functions and other festivities.
The heads oi states of the allied powers Including President Bill Clinton has taken part in the four-day ceremonies In four capitals, starting In I.ondon on 6 May where Britain s wartime Queen. Elizabeth the Queen Mother, joined thousands of veterans. In Parig the leaders joined the outgoing President Francois Mitterrand (as well as the president elect. Jacques Chirac) underneath the Arc de Triqmphe to watch as military units paraded down the Champs Blysees. They travelled to Berlin where Chancellor Helmut Kohl presided at a commemoration of the Nazi surrender. The emphasis in Germany was on
the country s renaissance as a deiuot ram member of the European Union and the NATO Thereafter, in Moscow ihe state and government heads and their retinues have altended ceremonies that are described as the most lavish since the coronaUon of Czar Nicholas II in 1896
It is quite natural that different nations have different memories of the war which we usually describe, following the Anglo-American practice, as the Second World War though the Russians remember It as the Great Patriotic War. They believe, and I think with much justice, that the West has underestimated their role in de (eating Hitler and his Nazi hordes. Their role, one must acknowledge In retrospect, was one of unparalleled sacrifice and heroism.
Twenty seven million people of the Soviet Union per ished. Of this huge number, two-thirds were civilians. In the Nazi-occupied areas of the Soviet Union. 1700 towns. 70.000 villages, 6 million homes. 32 thousand factories. 65 thousand, kilometers of railroad and 1000 collective farms were destroyed and burnt. The figures are Indeed staggering but not surprising because in March 1941. In declaring war against the Soviet Union. Hitler said. "We will certainly destroy the Russian army and the state. This will be. a war of destruction" Obviously he meant what he said. The death of 27 nflllion people is not only an convincing testimony of the brutality of the Nazis -but the total resistance offered by the Russians regardless of loss In human or material terms.
Those who were old enough Io remember the progress of the war in Europe tn the early forties will surely recall the great battles fought by the Russians in defending Leningrad. Moscow and Stalingrad. In November 194 1 Hitler's forces had reached the outskirts of Moscow about 30 kilometer from the city and the whole world was breath lessly waiting for Moscow's fall But the Russians stood their ground In defending both Moscow and Leningrad the civilians, without exception, not only joined the Red Army In fighting the Invading
Germans but played as Important a part as the military.
The battle for the defence of Stalingrad lasted for six months in which the German forces sustained massive losses of men and war materials Including 2000 tanks. 3000 air craft and over 70.000 transport vehicles. Ignoring Hitler's orders. the German Commander surrendered with over 300.000 troops. This was the real turning point of the war. The successful defence of Moscow. Leningrad and Stalingrad raised the morale of the Red Army and signaled the beginning of the end of Hitler s mad adventure. On 6 June 4 944 the long-awaited second front was opened along
the northern coast Of France bv rhe Allied forces under the leadership of Gen Eisenhower From that point onwards it was only a matter of time Germany surrendered unconditionally on 8 May 1945
Fifty years after the war ended, one can see in hind sight, its utter fuulitv Why was it fought? Why such a great nation as the Germans goi caught In the madness of a demented man? What did they want to do after they won tb* war'' The explanation if one can come up with a rational one is that Hitler wanted to establish the global supremacy of the
German race Reflecting on this. Mr Hans Dietrich Genscher, who was foreign minister of Germany from 1974 to 1992 said, "Fifty years after World War II the Germans have drawn lessons from history War. prejudice, hatred and nationalism must be overcome Including the new national egoism tn Europe today, a central danger for the continent because it could lead to new nationalism and then chauvinism. Because this egoism begins in the hearts and minds of people, we must struggle together to draw the right lessons from history, from the dark chapters but also from those that give us hope."
While Europe celebrates the fall of Hitler and Allied victory, the rest of the world can hardly sit back in comfort and remain complacent about the potential threat posed by doctrines similar to Nazism and Fascism These vicious doctrines are often inseparable from autocracy and racism and are based on prejudice and hatred. One finds them in different parts of the world though they may appear tn new and misleading garb. In Germany the Neo-Nazis, a small minority, are again raising their head and in Italy the Neo-Fascists have reappeared. Tn fact in Italy they have become a political force to reckon with. But 1 am thinking about the rise of totalitarianism in the gutse of religious fundamentalism in different countries. particularly in South Asia Religious fundamentalism can assume as brutal a form as the bigotry and chauvinism of the racists. Regimentation, forced conformity with a particular set of ideas, beliefs and practices, denial of human rights and the persecution of those who dare oppose the system are essentially what these fanatical groups are preaching.
Nazis and Fascists followed the same brutal techniques. Do we ■ noi see these trends In many countries of Asia and Africa? In fact, anti-fascist forces have every reason to feel concerned.
In Bangladesh politics, for instance, the religious right has paid Up service to democracy but Its activities do not inspire any confidence In their commitment to democracy
and human rights They believe in regimentation, armed cadre and brutal suppression of all those who oppose them. One witnessed these methods be ing applied by the Shibir activists in Chittagong and
Rajshahi Universities'. Admittedly, these elements are still not strong enough to bid for state power but they are biding their time and ma neuverlng to undermine the democratic forces by all possible means.
In India, the BJP. a Hindu fundamentalist party, has steadily gained ground Secular values and principles, championed by Nehru and enshrined In India's constitution, does not seem to have prevented the rise of this party which is essentially based on hatred and religious chauvinism. The rise of the Shiv Sena In the Maharastra state in the last election should be an eye-opener to those who do not perceive or appreciate the gravity of the danger posed by these Neo-Fascist forces
Eternal vigilance, we are loid. is the price of liberty. Looking around the world and surveying the scene in the subcontinent I consider it (6 be a matter of urgency to remain alert and united in resisting the anti-democratic forces. Europe has paid a heavy price for its failure to stand up tohe danger when there was still time. Must we permit these hydra-headed monsters to rise and spread their tentacles in our societies? Recognizing the danger, president Bill Clinton, addressing American veterans said: "you could not banish the forces of darkness from the future. We confront them now all around the world and painfully, here at home " In Bangladesh too the forces ol darkness must be resisted before it Is loo late.