Oct 20, 2023·edited Oct 20, 2023Liked by Jonathan Reece
This is a great article! Some of us (me) need to learn a lot more about history. ("Those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it")!!!
I have been hesitant to seriously delve into the subject because I don't know what sources to trust, and I have gathered that much (most) of what we were fed about it in school was just propaganda. Is there a good general world history book that YOU would recommend as a place to start?
For a GENERAL one, the only one that comes to mind is Howard Zinn's The Twentieth Century, A People's History, as it's somewhat revisionist. He also made a series of videos to go with it with Oliver Stone, if memory serves.
That should be interesting enough; but your project sounds rather "worthy", meaning that it would be difficult to sustain interest if your motivation were so general. What has motivated me successfully is to come across something provocative or interesting in some way, and pursue it, and then things which crop up . How about the link I gave to the Corbett interview with Daniele Ganser. That's a riveting tale, and concept - that the state is behind almost all terrorism.
One has to develop a feel for bs. Look for people who seem to have done original research, rather than historians who rehash others' work.
There's a series of books called "hidden histories" (or similar).
Ah! Here's a good suggestion: look up Peace Revolution podcasts by Richard Andrew Grove.
Forget hesitance and jump in boldly. You will be so fascinated that you'll never look back.
I'd start with Thucydides, "The History of the Peloponnesian War," and although it's not history per se, check out Lucian of Samosata's, "Dialogues of the Dead," which mocks the ambitious ones (who are more often than not the root cause of wars), and Aristophanes, "The Knights," which satirizes politics.
All of those are either very informative and the last two are short and quite entertaining as well. They'll give you some insight on who's telling the truth and who and how the dissemblers try to pull the wool over your eyes. I agree with the author in that you'll soon learn to distinguish the truth tellers from the liars. Spoiler alert: Most of what we hear is outright lies and the rest is distorted, intentionally or not.
Nah. I am quite familiar with many aspects of "history" and I say this is a well written and informative article. It is "great" by that very common meaning of the word.
I don't recall a criticism of anything specific. You make generalisations, but you haven't pointed to an incorrect fact, and explained why it's incorrect.
I just "shared" your post with a friend. It is the least I can do since you don't desire paid contribution - I for one appreciate your wisdom...I'll read it close and I told my friend in the note I sent him - I haven't read it all, but I want your opinion because I respect the author as I do you.
I'd like to share a little anecdote here - there is this PC game I started but sort of set aside being I've played so many, so many, so many "wargames" on the PC, but this one was kind of interesting. The voice acting in it sucked, and believe it or not it was made by an outfit out of Ukraine.
Within it there was a cut-scene with Hitler animated talking about Danzig. The concept of enclaves and "exclaves" a new word for me Jonathan (most appreciated) was poignant when in the cut-scene Hitler exclaimed - we will bring Danzig back into our fold....and then it was time to place the forces and battle.
The name of the game is: Strategic Mind - Blitzkrieg
Danzig shows up in one of your maps - it says the place was "a free city run by the League of Nations" - now let me ask a fair question. Given the League of Nations is long gone, and the UN is a complete farce, one has to take this characterization with a grain of salt cause history shows the League of Nations couldn't run a city if their lives depended upon it and that is why that institution doesn't exist anymore and my prediction is the "UN" as it is known is soon to be dissolved - followed by the EU and the UK, but I'm (edit) NOT sure which one of those entities I have been referring to as "toast" now for more than two years will fall first, but it is in the fates that they will fall cause just like they League of Nations they have shown themselves to be corrupt from the inside out and there are others in the world who not only demand better, but they insist upon it and they have the kahunas to back up their demands - just like Hitler got Danzig back, but it was temporary....this time, I believe these harmful entities are fixing to get some comeuppance, and I sure hope that happens in my lifetime.
Once again - thankyou for this fine article to a history buff and student of elitist ambitions.
Ken
*
Edit - I'm embarrassed to say this, but I linked the wrong game....ha, ha...??. I've corrected the link above - bottom line is there is much to be learned "playing games" of the mind, and there are so many to play, but for the sake of accuracy I corrected the link above. At the end of the day, mistakes are made, and we all make mistakes, but I've posted the correct link now I think...
https://www.linkedin.com/company/starnigames - the game comes from this company headquartered in Kiev. I don't care who makes the game, where the come from, if the game is of merit, one can learn playing it, then what difference does it make who created the game to a discerning mind, but within that game Danzig was mentioned and so follows the folks who made the game studied their history and there is value in that regardless of where they call home.
I don't know much more, I'm afraid, like when Danzig became a normal member of a country again: presumably at the end of WW2.
The special status of Danzig does rather hint that they knew in advance that it was to become significant.
The UN is indeed a dodgy institution, and concept in general. Like you, I hope events speed through to a happier outcome, including the demise of all authoritarian institutions.
You didn't really get round to your question, though, did you?
As for the question I had, I'm not sure what it was Jonathan, but rest assured that knot you talked about before is something I'm gonna continue practicing. This is what I figure, I have but one life to live, and an important thing in life is to learn about tying knots.
Oct 20, 2023·edited Oct 20, 2023Liked by Jonathan Reece
I guess I didn't and I've lost interest in that game, but I might circle back around on it, but if nothing else what that game taught me even though the voice acting was pathetic, that Danzig played a big role in history in WWII and now here we are. Thing is I suspect most don't know or don't appreciate the nuance of history, but if you don't know that, then you are at the whim of others and that ain't my plan.
I'm delighted to see others who are as impressed by this article as I am. What a comprehensive and also original approach. I've never thought about exclaves and their importance. You added to my knowledge, Jonathan, about England defense agreement with Poland being only months old when Germany was provoked into invading. And on immigration, I've said that there's an inverse relationship between the freedom of money and goods to cross borders and the ability of people to follow. Otherwise, what's the point? And I had one question--on your chart of Palestinian deaths since 2008, is there a 0 missing? It doesn't seem to add up.
Hi Tereza. Thanks so much for promoting an article of mine again. You're a star.
The numbers: I'm not quite clear where there might be a missing zero. Are you distinguishing between the deaths (black columns) and injuries (orange columns)? Or is the number of deaths smaller than you would expect? I need some help!
Interesting concept about a relationship bewteen movement of money and goods. That is the opposite of what one would instinctively expect. I wonder what examples you have in mind?
I came here because of TC's comment and glad I did. You did a fine job for the reasons she stated and more. I've been digging into Western history starting with WW2 and working my way backwards for decades yet you added several new to me insights. I had several "Why didin't I think of that"?" moments.
I never knew about, but am not at all surprised to hear, the antics of the CIA in "N" Vietnam, and for that alone (though it's not the only thing) I found your article worthwhile.
Any recommendations for understanding who or what was/were the reasons for our rather hideous persecution of the war against the Vietnamese people?
I laugh when people say we were fighting Communism since the Reds never would have amounted to much anywhere without the backing of the international banking mafiosi based mostly in New Yoik and probably London too.
No extra information, just a suggestion from the main theme of the twentieth century - destroying civilizations (empires) to bring about a one world government. It was part of the French empire, and the French had to abandon it. But more than that, if you are a control freak who wants the World to consist of an elite with a servant class consisting of people who are dumbed down by long-term fluoride e.g., as well as schooling; and who are controllable with the media, electronic brain implants, and RF waves and SPIONs (Super-Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles), and graphene oxide nanoparticles ... then a culture that is self-sufficient like the rural Vietnamese et al. were would be anathema to you.
My thought is that the only Communism acceptable to the elites are the varieties controlled by themselves, and "uncle" Ho was probably not one of their puppets so he and his supporters had to be brought under the heel. Ho naivley attempted to gain support from Woodie Wilson at Versailles but Woodie ignored him and I have some suspcions as to why.
The US was funding the French domination of Vietnam but decided to do the job itself, the specific reasons being a mystery to me. Your suggestion that "a culture that is self-sufficient like the rural Vietnamese et al. were would be anathema" fits with my ideas although you expressed it better than I could.
> I laugh when people say we were fighting Communism
The idiot laughs at the truth.
> since the Reds never would have amounted to much anywhere without the backing of the international banking mafiosi based mostly in New Yoik and probably London too.
So this is how the Communists are now excusing their failures and atrocities. "It wasn't real Communism, it was being secretly backed by those sneaky Capitalists."
I wonder if you've read any of Anthony Sutton's books, or seen interviews with him on YouTube. The financing of the Bolshiviki and Mao are pretty well known now.
Thanks very much James. It's much appreciated that you took the trouble to mention it. As for looking forward ... I wonder if you have read earlier articles of mine? If not - no need to wait!! (You can always get to a Substack homepage by clicking on the title, in this case "What Do I No").
I think my most important article is What’s Wrong with “The Greater Good”?
Great, thanks for the recommended readings. I'll get them in the coming days. I just subscribed to your SS less than 30 minutes ago. So, I have some catching up to do. Onward ho!
I also think that people with too much time and money on their hands get bored and for their next thrill get their kicks by messing with people and engaging in various perversions. It's my observation that we are here for the purpose of struggling and if we don't struggle contiuously, we get sick. Some of us get very sick.
One consolation (sort of) is the best-laid plans of mice and men still often go awry. Sometimes due to cataclysmic, natural events that occur repeatedly, as part of a predictable cycle or pattern. A perfect storm of cosmic proportions appears to be lining up.
Thanks for asking! When I and my family were being threatened with forcible toxxination by the fanatics, my brain kind of broke. Each day the corporate-government media ramped up their insane hatred of those who refused to participate in the experiment, and finally they started openly advocating door-to-door physically forced injections.
At that point I bought a gun, intending to shoot back at anyone coming at me with a needle, willing to die for my God-given right to freely choose what gets injected into my own body. Then I started considering long-term solutions, and settled on memes as something I could do to spread a bit of sanity. The ultimate problem is public ignorance because of a lack of alternatives to the corporate-government media narrative.
That experience of being cornered still gives me a lot of energy to seek out and deploy a truthful counter-narrative each day.
I can find nothing here to argue with. It is very well thought out and on the mark. History is a great teacher if we would only listen.
My theory is that the jab has played out for now , so now it is time for plan B which means massive wars and depopulation must faster and more efficient than the jabs. All the war mongers will be fighting for a place on the government teat. Plus a seat at the power table after as much grief and control is foisted upon us as possible. The collateral damage with be the murder of the middle class and that will hurt them in the short term, but it can always be rebuilt fixing the war damage. Wash, rinse, repeat. Bottom line to all wars is the same people suffer and the same class of people profit on both sides.
Basically your worldview appears to be the leftist version of American exceptionalism, i.e., the belief that Americans are the only people who have any agency, thus anything that happens anywhere in the world that America is involved in, no matter how tangentially is America's fault.
It's truly amazingly that some people still don't see that the uber-rich scum that brought us the covid scam are cut of the same cloth as those who brought us the fraud of Communism which came to full flower during the last century.
Covid should have made crystal clear how the bankers and their stooges operate. If that doesn't convince people, what will?
This is worth persuing, I think.:
"The son of one of the co-founders of the World Economic Forum (WEF), now a retired Swiss banker, is calling for justice against the criminals who unleashed Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "vaccines" on the world.
Pascal Najadi, whose father Hussain Najadi was assassinated in 2013, is reportedly joining forces with Dr. Astrid Stuckelberger
Communism came largely from naive idealists who had overly simplistic ideas about how the world could (or should) work. They really remind me of the OP.
I would say it was put into effect by naive idealists who had overly simplistic ideas about ... what Stalin called "useful idiots" i.e. those who believe the propaganda. Before that were those who commissioned Marx to write the Communist Manifesto.
Actually, the naive idealists were dupes of the global bankster mafiosi who made "Communism" fashionable. That's what Dodd's book details. Same as the naifs in the varoius lunatic "movements" today, including Zionism and what-not. Communism was all the rage back when the big guys decided it was "the thing". Now it's not much more than a quaint memory if that and it looks like Zionism, having outlived its usefulness, may be fading into a distant memory as well.
Smedley Butler's, "War is a Racket" is a classic that ought to be read, studied and heeded. Unfortunately the ignorami in 'Merka and elsewhere (the vast, vast majority) are content to spend their time being brainwashed by the toob and other mass media but in any case most of them manifest signs of severe illiteracy, so that's the best they can do. They love to spout the platitudes mouthed by flunkies on the toob as they sit back into their sofas with self satisfied smugness that's as reeking as it is mindless.
"The global bankster mafiosi" is undoubtedly a better way to put it; but I understand that one of them commissioned Marx.
One article which you probably haven't read of mine is "Ammo for Waking People Up". It was an article I wrote about 12 years ago, when I retired, and started "waking up", but at that time it was called "How the World Works; A Reading List". I'm sure "War is a Racket" appeared there.
Your "Ammo" is one impressive tour de force. Smedley Butler's "Racket" is definitely included. Nice work. I've read the works of many of those authors and you picked some fine ones.
I'm not into videos, movies or documentaries but I'm sure that your suggestions rate high on the merit scale.
Anyway, I quit banging my noggin against blockheads a very long time ago, so I don't need the ammo for that. I just use it for my own satisfaction and for people who care and who are intelligent enough to question everything. It's my view that waking up is an active process and cannot be enforced or even suggested. I've accepted the fact that most seem content with the garbage they're fed and so be it. I'll content myself with waking myself up and supporting those who've put in the effort, which you have. The rest are free to wallow in their spoon fed ignorance. As far as I'm concerned, no one assigned me the role of messiah and I'd dismiss anyone who suggested such!
Marx was evidently financed by some moneyed fools besides the rich Engels and was always begging for more. He was as much a bought fool as Wilson, FDR and a host of others too numerous to mention.
Am currently up to my neck in various projects, but intend to look at some of your past articles since you are obviously a person with a mind.
Thanks for being specific. I agree that there are too many ARTIFICIAL borders; I can't see where you get the idea that I think there aren't enough borders from. (And I wouldn't characterize any of my observations as "complaints").
You are remarkably kind. While looking for something else I came upon this, which seems relevant here.
" Their ideas on the subject are as flabby and flatulent as their ideas on all other subjects. They are professional paralogists, and live and have their being by crying up the manifestly not true."
The Reds and Civil Rights by H.L. Mencken The American Mercury , July 1936, pp. 284-289 - PDF
It's doubly amusing to me because I thought he argued just like the typical Red with personal attacks and twisted "logic," and speaking of flatulent...! : )
Your complaint #2 was too many people of different tribes living in the same countries.
As for "artificial" borders, what do you mean by "artificial"? What do you think "natural" border would look like in many places, and where do you suppose they come from?
I'm afraid I still can't see where you get the idea that I think there are too many people of different tribes living in the same countries. That is not my view.
I am simply describing some of the mechanisms that have been used to start wars. The only vaguely political view you can correctly infer is that I disapprove of starting wars.
Suppose I describe an incident where someone deliberately drives a car into a crowd, in order to maim people. I disapprove of their aim, which is to maim people; the mechanism they used is as described. You cannot infer from that that I disapprove of cars, think there are too many cars, or wish to ban cars or ban certain people from driving them.
My purpose is simply to raise awareness
a) that there are people who want to start wars; and
b) that these are some of the methods which they use, to look out for.
Artificial borders are man-made "fences", often in straight lines, such as those made dividing up the Middle East at the end of WW1.
Natural borders are geographical features which naturally cut down migration or movement in general, such as seas, oceans, large rivers, deserts and mountain ranges.
Rather you seem to be arguing that the apparent aggressor isn't the real aggressor, and that the real aggressor is always the US (or at least it's western allies England and France), using rather tenuous chains of logic to justify your claims.
You may not like every example, or think that there is something amiss with the way it was recounted, but I hope you are not too upset by that to recognise that
a) there are people who want wars; and
b) that these are mechanisms by which it can be started.
I have nothing against the people of the US. They are no worse or better than any other large group of people. (Indeed, I have written about the less than honourable record of the UK, where I am from, too. E.g. "A Funny thing Happened in 2012").
I am aware, however that the powers that be stopped using the Britain as a base for their power after WW2, and moved to the US; but their period of hegemony may be coming to an end. I guess it may be the Chinese, next.
I'm not using logic at all: just telling the account of what happened that seems the most likely given the known facts. You may know more or different facts than me. I am always keen to be shown that I am wrong in some way. That is how one learns. So if you are in a position know some aspect better than Fletcher Prouty, Norman Dodd ... I'd love to hear the evidence.
Have you listened to Dodd and Prouty? It's well worth it. Both were Americans; both seem unusually intelligent and effective people, and (most importantly) as a result of that were in positions to know some rarely known aspects of their country's actions.
Perhaps what you are experiencing is just what happens when one learns things one would rather not learn about one's own country. Don't shoot the messenger, please!
Perhaps I can redeem the poor first impression I have made if you read some other articles of mine! Did you know you can get to a Substack's homepage by clicking on the title - "What Do I No" in this case.
Well there's a large part of your problem. Since your underlying model of how reality works is ridiculous.
> So if you are in a position know some aspect better than Fletcher Prouty, Norman Dodd
Well, they're also propagandists with an agenda of their own. Notice that their interpretations differs from that of nearly everybody else at the time. Why are you in a position to know that they were closer to being correct than everybody else at the time?
BTW, you still haven't addressed (or even understood) the issues I raised in the parent. I recommend to try reading it again.
Some of the following (a 10-part series) might resonate with what you’ve written. I can’t vouch for all of it. I try to be open-minded, objective and use critical thinking skills. I’m still processing this one. But as you astutely pointed out, which I would say is or should be common sense, regardless of the lies we’re told, actions still always speak louder than words. “You will know them by their fruits,” still stands.
Pre-Hitler & post-Hitler eras involve many objectionable things from the Soviets & the West--far worse than what the so-called Nazis practiced, in both substance & quantity.
What Hitler was really about has probably not been accurately told, much less honestly examined. Add to this the insubordination, sabotage & misadventures that often arise within any passionate project or burgeoning bureaucracy from underlings who fail to carry out the desires & plans of their leader(s)--common throughout ancient & modern history--and events suffer further from selective accounts of history, to say nothing of deliberate, misinformation and propaganda.
With this in mind, the following shorter documentary is interesting.
This is a great article! Some of us (me) need to learn a lot more about history. ("Those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it")!!!
I have been hesitant to seriously delve into the subject because I don't know what sources to trust, and I have gathered that much (most) of what we were fed about it in school was just propaganda. Is there a good general world history book that YOU would recommend as a place to start?
Thanks for the compliment.
For a GENERAL one, the only one that comes to mind is Howard Zinn's The Twentieth Century, A People's History, as it's somewhat revisionist. He also made a series of videos to go with it with Oliver Stone, if memory serves.
That should be interesting enough; but your project sounds rather "worthy", meaning that it would be difficult to sustain interest if your motivation were so general. What has motivated me successfully is to come across something provocative or interesting in some way, and pursue it, and then things which crop up . How about the link I gave to the Corbett interview with Daniele Ganser. That's a riveting tale, and concept - that the state is behind almost all terrorism.
One has to develop a feel for bs. Look for people who seem to have done original research, rather than historians who rehash others' work.
There's a series of books called "hidden histories" (or similar).
Ah! Here's a good suggestion: look up Peace Revolution podcasts by Richard Andrew Grove.
Deutsche Passion . . .
-
Wir leben in Stämmen, wo Zwietracht und Neid
Vom Rand der Geschichte nach Brudermord schreit,
Wir träumen in Wäldern mit dichtem Gezweig,
Im Nebel und unter der Rauhnacht Geschweig,
-
Wir herrschen in Mären, die fern einer singt,
Der nie in den Schein unsrer Sonnfeuer dringt,
Und spät ward ein Name uns Makel und Lohn,
Doch schon unser Werden war immer Passion.
-
Der Limes der Römer durchschnitt unser Land,
Der West und der Süd ging dem Feinde zur Hand
Und kaufte von Freien mit gutem Gewinn
Den Bernstein und mancherlei Hausrat aus Zinn,
Doch auch die Gezähmten im römischen Staat,
Sie sannen auf Abfall und schnöden Verrat,
Erwacht im Cherusker der alte Teuton,
Wird Varus das Opfer der deutschen Passion . . .
-
https://cwspangle.substack.com/i/138320669/deutsche-passion
Forget hesitance and jump in boldly. You will be so fascinated that you'll never look back.
I'd start with Thucydides, "The History of the Peloponnesian War," and although it's not history per se, check out Lucian of Samosata's, "Dialogues of the Dead," which mocks the ambitious ones (who are more often than not the root cause of wars), and Aristophanes, "The Knights," which satirizes politics.
All of those are either very informative and the last two are short and quite entertaining as well. They'll give you some insight on who's telling the truth and who and how the dissemblers try to pull the wool over your eyes. I agree with the author in that you'll soon learn to distinguish the truth tellers from the liars. Spoiler alert: Most of what we hear is outright lies and the rest is distorted, intentionally or not.
Wow! Starting with the fundamentals! I hope I have time for that, but I'm not very hopeful.
I understand. Rome was neither built in a day nor did it rot away overnight! ; )
> This is a great article! Some of us (me) need to learn a lot more about history.
If you think that's a great article, you definitely need to learn more history.
Nah. I am quite familiar with many aspects of "history" and I say this is a well written and informative article. It is "great" by that very common meaning of the word.
It's also completely misleading if not downright inaccurate, but I agree it's also well written.
Please be specific.
We already had this discussion in another thread.
I don't recall a criticism of anything specific. You make generalisations, but you haven't pointed to an incorrect fact, and explained why it's incorrect.
I just "shared" your post with a friend. It is the least I can do since you don't desire paid contribution - I for one appreciate your wisdom...I'll read it close and I told my friend in the note I sent him - I haven't read it all, but I want your opinion because I respect the author as I do you.
Ken
Thanks Ken You you're a star.
I'm a lonely voice screaming in the wind, but I can recognize another student of history and I've been sharing this article further Jonathan.
Warm Regards to you.
Ken
I'd like to share a little anecdote here - there is this PC game I started but sort of set aside being I've played so many, so many, so many "wargames" on the PC, but this one was kind of interesting. The voice acting in it sucked, and believe it or not it was made by an outfit out of Ukraine.
Within it there was a cut-scene with Hitler animated talking about Danzig. The concept of enclaves and "exclaves" a new word for me Jonathan (most appreciated) was poignant when in the cut-scene Hitler exclaimed - we will bring Danzig back into our fold....and then it was time to place the forces and battle.
The name of the game is: Strategic Mind - Blitzkrieg
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1200330/Strategic_Mind_Blitzkrieg/
~
Danzig shows up in one of your maps - it says the place was "a free city run by the League of Nations" - now let me ask a fair question. Given the League of Nations is long gone, and the UN is a complete farce, one has to take this characterization with a grain of salt cause history shows the League of Nations couldn't run a city if their lives depended upon it and that is why that institution doesn't exist anymore and my prediction is the "UN" as it is known is soon to be dissolved - followed by the EU and the UK, but I'm (edit) NOT sure which one of those entities I have been referring to as "toast" now for more than two years will fall first, but it is in the fates that they will fall cause just like they League of Nations they have shown themselves to be corrupt from the inside out and there are others in the world who not only demand better, but they insist upon it and they have the kahunas to back up their demands - just like Hitler got Danzig back, but it was temporary....this time, I believe these harmful entities are fixing to get some comeuppance, and I sure hope that happens in my lifetime.
Once again - thankyou for this fine article to a history buff and student of elitist ambitions.
Ken
*
Edit - I'm embarrassed to say this, but I linked the wrong game....ha, ha...??. I've corrected the link above - bottom line is there is much to be learned "playing games" of the mind, and there are so many to play, but for the sake of accuracy I corrected the link above. At the end of the day, mistakes are made, and we all make mistakes, but I've posted the correct link now I think...
https://www.linkedin.com/company/starnigames - the game comes from this company headquartered in Kiev. I don't care who makes the game, where the come from, if the game is of merit, one can learn playing it, then what difference does it make who created the game to a discerning mind, but within that game Danzig was mentioned and so follows the folks who made the game studied their history and there is value in that regardless of where they call home.
interesting serendipitous synchronicity! (with the game).
I don't know much more, I'm afraid, like when Danzig became a normal member of a country again: presumably at the end of WW2.
The special status of Danzig does rather hint that they knew in advance that it was to become significant.
The UN is indeed a dodgy institution, and concept in general. Like you, I hope events speed through to a happier outcome, including the demise of all authoritarian institutions.
You didn't really get round to your question, though, did you?
As for the question I had, I'm not sure what it was Jonathan, but rest assured that knot you talked about before is something I'm gonna continue practicing. This is what I figure, I have but one life to live, and an important thing in life is to learn about tying knots.
😁👍!
I guess I didn't and I've lost interest in that game, but I might circle back around on it, but if nothing else what that game taught me even though the voice acting was pathetic, that Danzig played a big role in history in WWII and now here we are. Thing is I suspect most don't know or don't appreciate the nuance of history, but if you don't know that, then you are at the whim of others and that ain't my plan.
I'm delighted to see others who are as impressed by this article as I am. What a comprehensive and also original approach. I've never thought about exclaves and their importance. You added to my knowledge, Jonathan, about England defense agreement with Poland being only months old when Germany was provoked into invading. And on immigration, I've said that there's an inverse relationship between the freedom of money and goods to cross borders and the ability of people to follow. Otherwise, what's the point? And I had one question--on your chart of Palestinian deaths since 2008, is there a 0 missing? It doesn't seem to add up.
Hi Tereza. Thanks so much for promoting an article of mine again. You're a star.
The numbers: I'm not quite clear where there might be a missing zero. Are you distinguishing between the deaths (black columns) and injuries (orange columns)? Or is the number of deaths smaller than you would expect? I need some help!
Interesting concept about a relationship bewteen movement of money and goods. That is the opposite of what one would instinctively expect. I wonder what examples you have in mind?
I came here because of TC's comment and glad I did. You did a fine job for the reasons she stated and more. I've been digging into Western history starting with WW2 and working my way backwards for decades yet you added several new to me insights. I had several "Why didin't I think of that"?" moments.
I never knew about, but am not at all surprised to hear, the antics of the CIA in "N" Vietnam, and for that alone (though it's not the only thing) I found your article worthwhile.
Thanks Geoff: that's very encouraging. Pleased to help.
Any recommendations for understanding who or what was/were the reasons for our rather hideous persecution of the war against the Vietnamese people?
I laugh when people say we were fighting Communism since the Reds never would have amounted to much anywhere without the backing of the international banking mafiosi based mostly in New Yoik and probably London too.
No extra information, just a suggestion from the main theme of the twentieth century - destroying civilizations (empires) to bring about a one world government. It was part of the French empire, and the French had to abandon it. But more than that, if you are a control freak who wants the World to consist of an elite with a servant class consisting of people who are dumbed down by long-term fluoride e.g., as well as schooling; and who are controllable with the media, electronic brain implants, and RF waves and SPIONs (Super-Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles), and graphene oxide nanoparticles ... then a culture that is self-sufficient like the rural Vietnamese et al. were would be anathema to you.
My thought is that the only Communism acceptable to the elites are the varieties controlled by themselves, and "uncle" Ho was probably not one of their puppets so he and his supporters had to be brought under the heel. Ho naivley attempted to gain support from Woodie Wilson at Versailles but Woodie ignored him and I have some suspcions as to why.
The US was funding the French domination of Vietnam but decided to do the job itself, the specific reasons being a mystery to me. Your suggestion that "a culture that is self-sufficient like the rural Vietnamese et al. were would be anathema" fits with my ideas although you expressed it better than I could.
Thanks.
> I laugh when people say we were fighting Communism
The idiot laughs at the truth.
> since the Reds never would have amounted to much anywhere without the backing of the international banking mafiosi based mostly in New Yoik and probably London too.
So this is how the Communists are now excusing their failures and atrocities. "It wasn't real Communism, it was being secretly backed by those sneaky Capitalists."
I wonder if you've read any of Anthony Sutton's books, or seen interviews with him on YouTube. The financing of the Bolshiviki and Mao are pretty well known now.
Excellent article, Jonathon. I learned so much from reading this wonderful post. Looking forward to reading your next one. Cheers
Thanks very much James. It's much appreciated that you took the trouble to mention it. As for looking forward ... I wonder if you have read earlier articles of mine? If not - no need to wait!! (You can always get to a Substack homepage by clicking on the title, in this case "What Do I No").
I think my most important article is What’s Wrong with “The Greater Good”?
https://whatdoino.substack.com/p/whats-wrong-with-the-greater-good
And unfortunately I can't think of a better title for this one, which deserves wider reading, (if I can modestly say so).
https://whatdoino.substack.com/p/copy-coping-with-disagreement-and
Great, thanks for the recommended readings. I'll get them in the coming days. I just subscribed to your SS less than 30 minutes ago. So, I have some catching up to do. Onward ho!
I just realized I misspelled your name; sorry about that Jonathan. 😵💫
Well you spotted it before I did!
> But why? Surely no-one would WANT to start a war?
Some people what to take other people's stuff. Other people don't want their stuff taken.
There are numerous complications, and elaborations, but ultimately it boils down to that.
I also think that people with too much time and money on their hands get bored and for their next thrill get their kicks by messing with people and engaging in various perversions. It's my observation that we are here for the purpose of struggling and if we don't struggle contiuously, we get sick. Some of us get very sick.
Yes, and however well off you are the need for self-discipline never goes away.
Great point. I never thought of it that way, but agree to the max.
Agreed
One consolation (sort of) is the best-laid plans of mice and men still often go awry. Sometimes due to cataclysmic, natural events that occur repeatedly, as part of a predictable cycle or pattern. A perfect storm of cosmic proportions appears to be lining up.
https://youtu.be/j635Cv2aOlA?feature=shared
Brilliant stuff! I did not know a lot of these details. I will subscribe.
That's great: thanks very much.
You may like to look at some other articles of mine then. The most important and urgent one is
What's Wrong With The Greater Good
and the other I'd like more people to read is
Coping with Disagreement and Being Wrong
(which is more interesting than you'd think ... I think)!
You can always get to the homepage of a substack by clicking on the title.
I've just subscribed to yours. THAT many? EVERY day?! How do you do it?!🤪😆😔🙂
Thanks for asking! When I and my family were being threatened with forcible toxxination by the fanatics, my brain kind of broke. Each day the corporate-government media ramped up their insane hatred of those who refused to participate in the experiment, and finally they started openly advocating door-to-door physically forced injections.
At that point I bought a gun, intending to shoot back at anyone coming at me with a needle, willing to die for my God-given right to freely choose what gets injected into my own body. Then I started considering long-term solutions, and settled on memes as something I could do to spread a bit of sanity. The ultimate problem is public ignorance because of a lack of alternatives to the corporate-government media narrative.
That experience of being cornered still gives me a lot of energy to seek out and deploy a truthful counter-narrative each day.
That's a very constructive response. Humour is such an important and effective tool. Very well done!
I'm enjoying them.
I can find nothing here to argue with. It is very well thought out and on the mark. History is a great teacher if we would only listen.
My theory is that the jab has played out for now , so now it is time for plan B which means massive wars and depopulation must faster and more efficient than the jabs. All the war mongers will be fighting for a place on the government teat. Plus a seat at the power table after as much grief and control is foisted upon us as possible. The collateral damage with be the murder of the middle class and that will hurt them in the short term, but it can always be rebuilt fixing the war damage. Wash, rinse, repeat. Bottom line to all wars is the same people suffer and the same class of people profit on both sides.
Thanks. Well said.
> History is a great teacher if we would only listen.
Too bad neither of you appear to know any.
Little islands of knowledge in a vast ocean of ignorance ... but always happy to learn, if you would take the trouble to be specific.
The first step is to notice the contradictions in your own worldview.
https://whatdoino.substack.com/p/how-to-start-a-war-and-why/comment/42379811
Basically your worldview appears to be the leftist version of American exceptionalism, i.e., the belief that Americans are the only people who have any agency, thus anything that happens anywhere in the world that America is involved in, no matter how tangentially is America's fault.
Thanks for taking the trouble. No, I don't have a "leftist view: see my article "Why you should stop using the Concepts Left- and Right-wing..
It is not my belief that Americans are the only people who have any agency. That seems to be a generalisation from too small a sample.
> It is not my belief that Americans are the only people who have any agency.
Right, you also appear to assign agency to the British and French, point taken.
Typo alert!:
"given the economic boom going on in Germany, in start contrast to the grimmer situations". . . .
instead of "stark contrast"
Thanks very much for that. I'm afraid I rather dashed this off, trying to make our holiday deadline.
It's truly amazingly that some people still don't see that the uber-rich scum that brought us the covid scam are cut of the same cloth as those who brought us the fraud of Communism which came to full flower during the last century.
Covid should have made crystal clear how the bankers and their stooges operate. If that doesn't convince people, what will?
This is worth persuing, I think.:
"The son of one of the co-founders of the World Economic Forum (WEF), now a retired Swiss banker, is calling for justice against the criminals who unleashed Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "vaccines" on the world.
Pascal Najadi, whose father Hussain Najadi was assassinated in 2013, is reportedly joining forces with Dr. Astrid Stuckelberger
https://www.newstarget.com/2023-10-27-banker-calls-for-wef-arrest-vaccine-democide.html
Communism came largely from naive idealists who had overly simplistic ideas about how the world could (or should) work. They really remind me of the OP.
I would say it was put into effect by naive idealists who had overly simplistic ideas about ... what Stalin called "useful idiots" i.e. those who believe the propaganda. Before that were those who commissioned Marx to write the Communist Manifesto.
So there were other naive idiots before the Communist Revolution itself.
Actually, the naive idealists were dupes of the global bankster mafiosi who made "Communism" fashionable. That's what Dodd's book details. Same as the naifs in the varoius lunatic "movements" today, including Zionism and what-not. Communism was all the rage back when the big guys decided it was "the thing". Now it's not much more than a quaint memory if that and it looks like Zionism, having outlived its usefulness, may be fading into a distant memory as well.
Smedley Butler's, "War is a Racket" is a classic that ought to be read, studied and heeded. Unfortunately the ignorami in 'Merka and elsewhere (the vast, vast majority) are content to spend their time being brainwashed by the toob and other mass media but in any case most of them manifest signs of severe illiteracy, so that's the best they can do. They love to spout the platitudes mouthed by flunkies on the toob as they sit back into their sofas with self satisfied smugness that's as reeking as it is mindless.
No wonder their masters despise them.
Yes, I agree with all this, sadly!
"The global bankster mafiosi" is undoubtedly a better way to put it; but I understand that one of them commissioned Marx.
One article which you probably haven't read of mine is "Ammo for Waking People Up". It was an article I wrote about 12 years ago, when I retired, and started "waking up", but at that time it was called "How the World Works; A Reading List". I'm sure "War is a Racket" appeared there.
Your "Ammo" is one impressive tour de force. Smedley Butler's "Racket" is definitely included. Nice work. I've read the works of many of those authors and you picked some fine ones.
I'm not into videos, movies or documentaries but I'm sure that your suggestions rate high on the merit scale.
Anyway, I quit banging my noggin against blockheads a very long time ago, so I don't need the ammo for that. I just use it for my own satisfaction and for people who care and who are intelligent enough to question everything. It's my view that waking up is an active process and cannot be enforced or even suggested. I've accepted the fact that most seem content with the garbage they're fed and so be it. I'll content myself with waking myself up and supporting those who've put in the effort, which you have. The rest are free to wallow in their spoon fed ignorance. As far as I'm concerned, no one assigned me the role of messiah and I'd dismiss anyone who suggested such!
Marx was evidently financed by some moneyed fools besides the rich Engels and was always begging for more. He was as much a bought fool as Wilson, FDR and a host of others too numerous to mention.
Am currently up to my neck in various projects, but intend to look at some of your past articles since you are obviously a person with a mind.
> Smedley Butler's, "War is a Racket" is a classic that ought to be read, studied and heeded.
Smedley Butler was himself at best a Communist stooge.
Congratulations, in a tough field you've produced the stupidest anti-war article I've ever read.
Your complaint number 2 is that there aren't enough borders, your complaint number 3 is that there are too many.
Thanks for being specific. I agree that there are too many ARTIFICIAL borders; I can't see where you get the idea that I think there aren't enough borders from. (And I wouldn't characterize any of my observations as "complaints").
You are remarkably kind. While looking for something else I came upon this, which seems relevant here.
" Their ideas on the subject are as flabby and flatulent as their ideas on all other subjects. They are professional paralogists, and live and have their being by crying up the manifestly not true."
The Reds and Civil Rights by H.L. Mencken The American Mercury , July 1936, pp. 284-289 - PDF
http://www.unz.org/Pub/AmMercury-1936jul-00284
It's doubly amusing to me because I thought he argued just like the typical Red with personal attacks and twisted "logic," and speaking of flatulent...! : )
Your complaint #2 was too many people of different tribes living in the same countries.
As for "artificial" borders, what do you mean by "artificial"? What do you think "natural" border would look like in many places, and where do you suppose they come from?
I'm afraid I still can't see where you get the idea that I think there are too many people of different tribes living in the same countries. That is not my view.
I am simply describing some of the mechanisms that have been used to start wars. The only vaguely political view you can correctly infer is that I disapprove of starting wars.
Suppose I describe an incident where someone deliberately drives a car into a crowd, in order to maim people. I disapprove of their aim, which is to maim people; the mechanism they used is as described. You cannot infer from that that I disapprove of cars, think there are too many cars, or wish to ban cars or ban certain people from driving them.
My purpose is simply to raise awareness
a) that there are people who want to start wars; and
b) that these are some of the methods which they use, to look out for.
Artificial borders are man-made "fences", often in straight lines, such as those made dividing up the Middle East at the end of WW1.
Natural borders are geographical features which naturally cut down migration or movement in general, such as seas, oceans, large rivers, deserts and mountain ranges.
Rather you seem to be arguing that the apparent aggressor isn't the real aggressor, and that the real aggressor is always the US (or at least it's western allies England and France), using rather tenuous chains of logic to justify your claims.
You may not like every example, or think that there is something amiss with the way it was recounted, but I hope you are not too upset by that to recognise that
a) there are people who want wars; and
b) that these are mechanisms by which it can be started.
I have nothing against the people of the US. They are no worse or better than any other large group of people. (Indeed, I have written about the less than honourable record of the UK, where I am from, too. E.g. "A Funny thing Happened in 2012").
I am aware, however that the powers that be stopped using the Britain as a base for their power after WW2, and moved to the US; but their period of hegemony may be coming to an end. I guess it may be the Chinese, next.
I'm not using logic at all: just telling the account of what happened that seems the most likely given the known facts. You may know more or different facts than me. I am always keen to be shown that I am wrong in some way. That is how one learns. So if you are in a position know some aspect better than Fletcher Prouty, Norman Dodd ... I'd love to hear the evidence.
Have you listened to Dodd and Prouty? It's well worth it. Both were Americans; both seem unusually intelligent and effective people, and (most importantly) as a result of that were in positions to know some rarely known aspects of their country's actions.
Perhaps what you are experiencing is just what happens when one learns things one would rather not learn about one's own country. Don't shoot the messenger, please!
Perhaps I can redeem the poor first impression I have made if you read some other articles of mine! Did you know you can get to a Substack's homepage by clicking on the title - "What Do I No" in this case.
> I'm not using logic at all
Well there's a large part of your problem. Since your underlying model of how reality works is ridiculous.
> So if you are in a position know some aspect better than Fletcher Prouty, Norman Dodd
Well, they're also propagandists with an agenda of their own. Notice that their interpretations differs from that of nearly everybody else at the time. Why are you in a position to know that they were closer to being correct than everybody else at the time?
BTW, you still haven't addressed (or even understood) the issues I raised in the parent. I recommend to try reading it again.
Damn good, sir.
Some of the following (a 10-part series) might resonate with what you’ve written. I can’t vouch for all of it. I try to be open-minded, objective and use critical thinking skills. I’m still processing this one. But as you astutely pointed out, which I would say is or should be common sense, regardless of the lies we’re told, actions still always speak louder than words. “You will know them by their fruits,” still stands.
https://odysee.com/$/download/Europa-TheLastBattle/a24948325100b25e8ffcc0f1bb3110e7e05b07d2
Thanks Richard. That's a good list of writers you subscribe to.
If you liked that one, please try out my most important article which is
What's Wrong With The Greater Good.
You can always get to the homepage by clicking on a title. (WhatDoINo in this case).
Thanks. Yes, I've seen it.
I disapprove of the Nazis, for the same sort of reasons that most people do; but I wish we would at least rise to their standards!
* say = at
Pre-Hitler & post-Hitler eras involve many objectionable things from the Soviets & the West--far worse than what the so-called Nazis practiced, in both substance & quantity.
What Hitler was really about has probably not been accurately told, much less honestly examined. Add to this the insubordination, sabotage & misadventures that often arise within any passionate project or burgeoning bureaucracy from underlings who fail to carry out the desires & plans of their leader(s)--common throughout ancient & modern history--and events suffer further from selective accounts of history, to say nothing of deliberate, misinformation and propaganda.
With this in mind, the following shorter documentary is interesting.
https://odysee.com/$/download/Hitler-Uncensored/175eacc9ab4c718d3f753c596f8fbcd7ed23d7fb
The trouble with winning a war is that you never have to revisit your own propaganda!
Useful! Thanks for that download.