Lenin and Trotsky's 1918 Skepticism on World Peace Revisited
Ingar Solty's recent article in der Freitag revisits the skepticism of Lenin and Trotsky regarding Germany's peace intentions in 1918. The piece explores the ethics of arms deliveries in modern proxy wars, drawing parallels to historical events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Quoting Wolf Biermann's 1963 pacifist poem, the article highlights Biermann's 2023 remarks branding arms delivery supporters as "secondhand war criminals." The title translates to "Are wars avoidable? Why Lenin and Trotsky never trusted world peace in 1918," emphasizing the enduring relevance of their skepticism.
Key facts
- Lenin and Trotsky in 1918 distrusted Germany's peace intentions.
- The article is published in der Freitag, written by Ingar Solty.
- Wolf Biermann's 1963 pacifist poem is quoted.
- Biermann in 2023 called supporters of arms deliveries 'secondhand war criminals'.
- The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred in 1962.
- The article connects historical events to the current Ukraine war.
- The piece discusses the ethics of arms deliveries in proxy wars.
- The title translates to 'Are wars avoidable? Why Lenin and Trotsky never trusted world peace in 1918.'
Entities
Artists
- Wolf Biermann
Institutions
- der Freitag
Locations
- Germany
- Cuba
- Ukraine