Russia Repeats Guernica

April 26, 2022 will be the 85th anniversary of the Nazi Condor Legion's atrocious bombing of the civilian population of Guernica (Gernika in Basque) during the Spanish Civil War. It is uncertain how many civilians died and how many were wounded in that infamous attack, but what is known is that that war was a warmup for World War II. It is well known that Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy fought on the side of the Spanish Nationalists led by Francisco Franco. What is less well known in that the Soviet Union was active in that war as well The NKVD ran notorious secret jails and torture chambers in Barcelona, allegedly in support of the Spanish loyalist government. In reality, they were there to undermine the Spanish republican government, seize control of it and destroy the Anarchists and Trotskyites (POUM). Russia, through the Spanish Communist Party sought to establish a "republic of a new type", that is, a "Peoples Republic" on the style of the Communist dictatorships that arose in post World War II Eastern Europe. The Russians, however, failed, and after the Soviet agents returned home, they were for the most part eliminated in the great purge which Stalin had initiated.

The bombing of Guernica by the Germans and Italians was repeated in terror bombings of civilian populations during World War II. Pablo Picasso painted his famous masterpiece "Guernica" after the infamous attack but would not permit his work to be displayed in Spain until democracy was restored. Today, that painting is displayed in the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid. After the defeat of the Axis powers and the establishment of the United Nations, which was designed to be more effective than the lamented League of Nations, it seemed that humanity was on a better track. In fact in 1997, on the 60th anniversary of that atrocity, the German President apologized to the victims of Guernica. However, 60 years is a very long time. The crimes of World War II are too numerous to be mentioned here. Lidice, Oradour sur Glane, Auschwitz, Bataan, merely scratches the surface.

As we approach Guernica's 85th anniversary, most people have not visited the Reina Sofia Museum to see this painting by Picasso. But they have seen what I call a Guernica equivalent, as Imperial Russian forces indiscriminately bomb and kill innocent Ukrainian civilians .The so called paper of record, the New York Times, reported today that Russia has been bombing civilian targets in Ukraine, (with impunity) and that 15,000 people are sheltering in the Kyiv subway to escape this horror. Yet not a word has been heard from that great organization, the UN, which goes apoplectic when a small country, in defense of itself, may kill two terrorists. Imperial Russia, with its In-Security Council veto and support from it cohorts, China, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela, thumbs its nose at the world. True, NATO is supplying arms to Ukraine, but what is that against a modern army and air force as Russia has? This is Putin's warmup for future attacks in Europe as he seeks to re-establish territorial contiguity with Kaliningrad Oblast and the sphere of influence and control of the former Communist dictatorship of the Soviet Union. The West nearly failed as it stood by as Hitler seized more and more territory before World War II started. So, the time to stop Putin is now, not next month, next year or five years from now.

It took Germany 60 years to apologize for Guernica. Who ever dreamt Guernica could ever be repeated? No more Guernicas! Stop Imperial Russia now.The European Union must act immediately.

Garry S. Sklar

Las Vegas, NV

March 2, 2022