No Compromises with Tyranny and Despotism!

Today I visited the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This magnificent museum discusses the history of Czech and Slovak immigration to the United States and their heritage in America. All who visit it will find it informative and inspiring. Also detailed is the history of their countries, from its beginnings over a thousand years ago to its more recent history as part of Austria-Hungary and its Declaration of Independence (Pittsburgh Declaration) and its subsequent announcement in Prague at the end of World War I. Czechoslovakia was the only democracy in central Europe, but it was in a very bad neighborhood. By the summer of 1938, Nazi aggression and the failure of democratic nations to respond caused this unfortunate country to be surrounded on three sides by Hitler’s Germany. At the Munich Conference of September 1938, the western democracies, namely France and the United Kingdom, capitulated to Hitler believing that by sacrificing Czechoslovakia they were buying peace through appeasement. They were wrong and it was quite a miracle that the Nazis were ultimately defeated in World War II.

By 1948, the Communist led government of Klement Gottwald seized complete power. President Eduard Benes left the country and a Communist dictatorship was established. It endured until its overthrow by the Czechoslovak people in 1989. Subsequently, the two nationalities peacefully devolved into two countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The history recounted above should be understood by all as ample evidence that appeasement and compromise with tyrants of any tendency, right or left, just doesn’t work. The current Russian imperialist attack on independent Ukraine is a disaster for that country. The only question is who is next and what kind of response from the European democracies, who style themselves as the European Union, will occur. Currently, there is little sense of urgency. As Kyiv and Kharkiv burn, as Russian imperialistic rockets kill civilians with impunity, Russian territory is untouched as the democracies fear antagonizing the Russian bear. Is this Putin’s last territorial demand in Europe (a familiar phrase) or is it merely his first demand?

The United Nations is supine and helpless. No emergency meetings are taking place. There is no demand for an immediate cease-fire. The UN must go. How can nations still maintain diplomatic relations with such an aggressor? History will demand an answer. The recent meeting of the G20 included Sergei Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of Imperial Russia. What was there to discuss with him?

The answer is clear. There can be no compromise with evil. There can be no compromise with tyranny and despotism. The democracies must stand up. They will have to fight sooner or later. The only question is when and under what kind of less favorable circumstances. Freedom and democracy must prevail. Action today is more suitable than tomorrow as the strategic situation for the democracies can only worsen. The EU and NATO must awaken before the clock of history strikes midnight.

Garry S. Sklar

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

July 21, 2022