Winston Churchill left us a marker: "Study history, study history. In history lie all the secrets of statecraft." From our 21st century vantage point, we gaze back over the most violent century in human history, the 20th century, and desperately seek the guidance of history.
Niall Ferguson has characterized the British appeasement policy as follows: the appeasers believed that "The correct policy for Britain to adopt was to turn Germany into a 'good European' by treating her as one of the European community." Fortunately, Britain ultimately chose - almost too late - Churchill and heroism.
His realistic assessment of this "Horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made" was that "It didn't bring peace, and it never will." The outcry from our European allies was immediate and sustained.
Loathe to forego these economic opportunities, the European allies not only opted to remain in the agreement but announced plans to shield European companies from U.S. imposed sanctions.
Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, countered, "We, the Commission and the European Union, have the duty to do what we can to protect our European businesses." So much for concerns of Islamic terrorism and the hope for long-term peace.
In trade, the Chinese have long imposed unfair trade practices on western trading partners.
"Through years of unfair trade practices and industrial espionage - building on its already massive trade surplus - China has accumulated trillions of American dollars. Now the Chinese government is embarking on a high-tech shopping spree in the U.S." Most recently, the press has reported Chinese naval aggression in the South China Sea, claiming historically international waters as Chinese territory.
https://www.realclearhistory.com/articles/2018/11/19/then_and_now_appeasement_is_folly_386.html
Niall Ferguson has characterized the British appeasement policy as follows: the appeasers believed that "The correct policy for Britain to adopt was to turn Germany into a 'good European' by treating her as one of the European community." Fortunately, Britain ultimately chose - almost too late - Churchill and heroism.
His realistic assessment of this "Horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made" was that "It didn't bring peace, and it never will." The outcry from our European allies was immediate and sustained.
Loathe to forego these economic opportunities, the European allies not only opted to remain in the agreement but announced plans to shield European companies from U.S. imposed sanctions.
Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, countered, "We, the Commission and the European Union, have the duty to do what we can to protect our European businesses." So much for concerns of Islamic terrorism and the hope for long-term peace.
In trade, the Chinese have long imposed unfair trade practices on western trading partners.
"Through years of unfair trade practices and industrial espionage - building on its already massive trade surplus - China has accumulated trillions of American dollars. Now the Chinese government is embarking on a high-tech shopping spree in the U.S." Most recently, the press has reported Chinese naval aggression in the South China Sea, claiming historically international waters as Chinese territory.
https://www.realclearhistory.com/articles/2018/11/19/then_and_now_appeasement_is_folly_386.html
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