Here is Cathy Young at The Bulwark: In the past ten days, plenty of rationalizations have been offered for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine—everything from “Russia needs a buffer state to keep NATO at a distance” (just about every Kremlin […]
Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022)
Some suggestions for teaching the Russian invasion of Ukraine in U.S. history classrooms
Some helpful suggestions from Chelsea Gibson of SUNY-Binghamton in a post at Nursing Clio: Discuss the relationship between history and power. Call attention to the memory of World War II Give attention to the anti-nuclear movement Reflect on the differences […]
“They made a desert and called it peace”
Liana Fix and Michael Kimmage explain what Putin is up against in Ukraine and at home. This will not turn our well for him. Here is a taste of their piece in Foreign Affairs, “What if Russia Loses?”: Putin is […]
Putin’s public memory law
Regular readers of the blog know that I am very interested in the way Putin uses a particular view of the past to justify his invasion of Ukraine. I talked with historian Bruce Berglund about this in Episode 96 of […]
Why some on the Christian Right support Russia
Historian Bethany Moreton explains the links between American conservatives (and conservative evangelicals) and Russia. Here is a taste of her piece at The Washington Post: From 1992 to 1997, a consortium of major U.S. evangelical organizations raised $60 million to bring former […]
What can we learn from the people of Ukraine?
Chris Stirewalt asks this question in a recent piece at The Dispatch titled “Ukrainians Hold a Mirror to America’s Egotistical Anxieties.” Here is a taste: It is the natural conceit of every generation in every great power that its own […]
Pope Francis calls for an end to the bloodshed in Ukraine
Here is America magazine: “Rivers of blood and of tears are flowing in Ukraine,” Pope Francis said today as he made a passionate and robust appeal for an end to the war in Ukraine that has now entered its 11th […]
Book an Airbnb in Ukraine?
In order to help those suffering in war-torn Ukraine, people are booking Airbnbs with no intention of showing-up. Here is Ginger Adams Otis at The Wall Street Journal: A social-media campaign that took off on March 2 has generated thousands […]
Episode 96: “Thinking Historically about the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
In this episode we talk with historian Bruce Berglund about Vladmir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Our conversation focuses on Putin’s use of history to justify the invasion, the insufficiency of the Russian military, the international ban on […]
The meaning of Putin’s invasion. A Cold War historian weighs-in.
Mary Elise Sarotte teaches history at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Here is a taste of her piece at The New York Times: The Russian president has now definitively put an end to the post-Cold War […]
Putin the victim
Over at The New Yorker, Masha Green writes, “Even if his hold on power is precarious, he can still convince Russians that the whole world is conspiring against them.” Here is a taste of her piece: An atomized society held […]
Biden searches for common ground in State of the Union address
Last night Biden delivered a solid State of the Union Address. Not great. Nothing to write home about. But solid. It was the speech the country needed this week. I give credit to Joe Biden for his effort to find […]
Will Ukraine define Biden’s presidency?
For LBJ, it was Vietnam. For George W. Bush, it was September 11, 2001. Will the Russian invasion of Ukraine define the Biden presidency? I think it is way too early to tell. Future historians will see more clearly. Nevertheless, […]
Let’s remember the “vile” things Trump did to Zelensky
As Greg Sargent notes at The Washington Post, Trump: Spread propaganda about Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election. Ousted the well-regarded U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. Froze military assistance to Ukraine. Withheld a White House meeting from Zelensky until he agreed […]
She didn’t vote for Zelensky. She has changed her mind
Here is journalist Anna Myroniuk of the Kyiv Independent, an English-language Ukrainian news outlet created by journalists who were fired from the Kyiv Post “for defending its editorial independence”: “Captain Ukraine,” the first “true” president of Ukraine, a hero, a […]
The Ukrainian Chorus of New York
Saturday Night Live did away with its traditional cold opening this week. Instead, they did this:
When you lose Newsmax
The right-wing pro-Trump network is condemning Father Coughlin’s Tucker Carlson’s pro-Putin/Russia comments. Here is Alex Griffing at Mediaite: Newsmax released a statement on Friday calling out Fox News and Tucker Carlson for “supporting Putin and Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine.” The right-wing, […]
How are evangelicals responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Part 2
Yesterday we offered a “Bonus Roundup” on how American evangelicals are responding to the invasion. Today we have part two: Dinesh D’Souza, a favorite of conservative evangelicals and the former president of the evangelical The Kings College, is backing Putin: […]
The Eric Metaxas Show pushes pro-Putin propaganda. His show is little more than an outlet to promote conspiracy theories
In the episode of The Eric Metaxas Show I have posted below: Eric Metaxas criticizes the “Deep State” for not welcoming Russia into the community of nations after the Fall of communism. He implies that the West is to blame […]
Charlie Kirk or Satanists? Who appears to be the most compassionate today?
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, right-wing pundit and evangelical Christian Charlie Kirk has not used the word “peace” or “prayer” on his Twitter feed. Instead, he has tweeted: Meanwhile, Kirk made an argument in Newsweek today that Satanists do […]